Policeman
Corinth Films | Release Date: June 13, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
79
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
The New York TimesManohla DargisJun 12, 2014
In Policeman, Mr. Lapid, making an electrifying feature directing debut, traces the line between the group and the individual in a story that can be read as a commentary on the world as much as on Israel. Read full review
91
The A.V. ClubBen KenigsbergJun 18, 2014
Like its narrative, this gripping film rarely veers in the expected directions — and is never easy to pin down. Read full review
91
IndieWireEric KohnJun 10, 2014
While blatantly topical, this is not a political film of the moment, but rather a calculated meditation on self-defined purpose in the midst of societal confusion. Read full review
90
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyJun 13, 2014
The main performances are powerful, the visuals are bold and vivid, the final effect one of the gut having been punched and the mind stirred. Read full review
88
Slant MagazineNick SchagerJun 8, 2014
Israel's fractured psyche is plumbed via narrative splintering in Policeman, Nadav Lapid's compelling drama about his homeland's burgeoning social unrest. Read full review
83
The PlaylistChristopher BellJun 13, 2014
Avoiding easy answers and engaging on various levels, Policeman is exactly the kind of film that makes one excited about the art again. Read full review
80
Time Out LondonDavid JenkinsApr 7, 2014
This unnerving and enigmatic debut feature from Israeli director Nadav Lapid trains its steely focus on the group dynamics of the cops and robbers rather than asking us to get swept along in the specifics of their violence travails. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranJun 12, 2014
Lapid's filmmaking skill helps keep us involved, as does Policeman's philosophical underpinnings. Read full review
70
Village VoiceMichael NordineJun 10, 2014
Lapid is so unconcerned with crafting a conventional crime drama that merely titling his film Policeman reads as a minor subversion, a way of defining the narrative in relation to a genre it hardly fits into. Read full review
70
VarietyAlissa SimonApr 7, 2014
This fascinating but uneven pic has a conceptual rigor that doesn’t always translate into compelling viewing or even a smooth narrative whole. Nevertheless, it reps a strong debut from tyro helmer-writer Nadav Lapid. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireJun 13, 2014
Obviously, this tale engages many hot-button issues in present-day Israel. But does it say anything particularly incisive or meaningful about their complexity? On the contrary, its ultimate message seems to rest on a kind of glib and simplistic equivalency. Read full review
50
The DissolveMike D'AngeloJun 11, 2014
Give the Israeli drama Policeman some credit: It keeps finding new ways to be unsatisfying. Read full review
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