Second Best

Name: Second Best
Genre: Comedy
Released: May 20, 2005
Duration: 86 min
Rating: 44

2005

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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6.8

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6.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

THINKFilm | Release Date: May 20, 2005 | TV-MA

Summary: A failed publishing executive (Pantoliano) and his best friend from childhood, a successful movie producer (Gaines), compete for the attentions of the same woman (Tilly).

Director: Eric Weber

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 86 min

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden

Sloppy but smart-enough-to-make-you-squirm comedy. Read full review

David Rooney

While Second Best is mildly engaging thanks largely to an appealingly self-effacing turn from Joe Pantoliano, writer-director Eric Weber's script could have used an extra polish or two. Read full review

Brad Slager

Two things make this worthwhile: The realistic relationship between Elliot and Richard, and Pantoliano playing against type and actually humanizing a possibly loathsome character. Read full review

Kevin Crust

The strongest scenes are those between Elliot and Richard, which give Second Best a verisimilitude lacking in the rest of the film. The truest thing here is that these two guys have been friends forever and always will be. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Second Best might have made a good stage monologue, but as a film it's overstated and barely baked. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Weber's losers really are losers -- envious, spiteful, complacent, mean-spirited and ultimately boring malcontents pickled in their own poison, and they drag his film down with them. Read full review

Akiva Gottlieb

An ugly, amateurish film that champions mediocrity in a meta-attempt to justify its own ineptitude. Read full review

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User Reviews

roxw.

Dec 2, 2005

This is a very funny and honest film, perhaps too honest for most people. it doesn't champion mediocrity, it rages against it and shows us how lazy we've become by settling for second best in almost every aspect of our lives. second best is an important cultural statement. it This is a very funny and honest film, perhaps too honest for most people. it doesn't champion mediocrity, it rages against it and shows us how lazy we've become by settling for second best in almost every aspect of our lives. second best is an important cultural statement. it holds the mirror very closely to our faces. more real, more funny, and much better written than 'sideways'.… Expand

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BethM.

Dec 30, 2005

I thought this movie was refreshing - a real life scenerio. This is the stuff most people live with every day - not "Hollywood." Compare the cheesy, over done, non intellectually challenging movies that Hollywood pumps out with French films. French movies have heart and soul and don't I thought this movie was refreshing - a real life scenerio. This is the stuff most people live with every day - not "Hollywood." Compare the cheesy, over done, non intellectually challenging movies that Hollywood pumps out with French films. French movies have heart and soul and don't use perfect-A list role characters. They use imperfect actors who don't need a que card to tell them it's time to start showing emotion. Though this movie has nothing to do with the French movie industry - my point is it's "real" and the only people who find the whole "loser" thing depressing are probably standing in a heap of denial. Would I go out and buy myself a copy to watch again? No, probably not. Did this movie inspire me. No - it didn't. But, I enjoyed it. It took me from my daily life and helped me escape for 86 minutes. And, it wasn't "Hollywood" - it was fresh, which is what I was most fond of.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JonA

Nov 28, 2005

Annoying as hell, so poorly done that it gave me a headache.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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