Nearing Grace
Whitewater Films | Release Date: October 13, 2006 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
L.A. WeeklyScott Foundas
The actors are superb -- especially Smith, who exudes some of the live-wire charisma of the young Sean Penn in Rosenthal's "Bad Boys," and the smoldering Brewster. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesMichael Ordona
This film is smart, funny and, thanks in no small part to David Geddes' cinematography, it occasionally approaches the poetic. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
This intimate coming-of-age story benefits from excellent performances, notably Gregory Smith's. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterKirk Honeycutt
The richness of the characters and themes in Nearing Grace inspire director Rick Rosenthal and his cast to create a film with terrific emotional energy and larkish humor. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
The performances by Smith, Brewster and veteran David Morse, as a morbidly depressed widower, elevate Nearing Grace to something near grace. Read full review
60
Village VoiceLuke Y. Thompson
This '70s-era teen romance from the director of "Halloween II" and the screenwriter of "Mean Creek" is a quietly effective number, a little like an '80s John Hughes movie without the laughs (not an insult in this case). Read full review
60
The New York TimesLaura Kern
There's nothing remotely surprising in the entire film. But the generally winning -- and freakishly good-looking -- cast, endowed by Jacob Aaron Estes's script with intelligent, if occasionally overwritten dialogue, makes for viewing that is easy on the eyes and the ears. Read full review
58
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Scott Sommer's late-1970s coming-of-age novel, with little of the vivid specificity of "Mean Creek," even though the two share a screenwriter and a producer. Read full review
50
VarietyRobert Koehler
Without Smith's graceful presence, which more than once resembles Zach Braff's slightly older but observant New Jerseyite in "Garden State," Nearing Grace would be pure video fodder. Read full review
50
Seattle Post-IntelligencerBill White
A coming-of-age movie in which nobody comes of age. Read full review
42
Portland OregonianMarc Mohan
The sort of movie that makes you feel like a heel for not liking it: Independently made and heartfelt, it also happens to have been shot in Portland. Nonetheless, the accumulation of cliches big and small manage to erase whatever goodwill its other features have engendered. Read full review
More From This Movie

62 Critic Reviews

tbd User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL