Smart People
Miramax Films | Release Date: April 11, 2008
7.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 81 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
53
Mixed:
18
Negative:
10
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
2
ScottMApr 13, 2008
What the hell is up with the good reviews? I can admit the casting was good (i could always live without Sarah Jessica Parker, but what are you going to do). The plot never found a rhythm, characters were never developed enough so I could What the hell is up with the good reviews? I can admit the casting was good (i could always live without Sarah Jessica Parker, but what are you going to do). The plot never found a rhythm, characters were never developed enough so I could care. I'm giving it a 2 because Church and Page are obviously fun to watch. I wish the movie just focused on their strange relationship. That would've been worth the price of admission.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
martinlAug 25, 2008
terrible movie. I didn't even care how it ended, I just couldn't wait to pop that f*cking disgrace out of my dvd player. It try so hard to seem as if it doesn't need to try. It try so hard to prove how funny it can be under terrible movie. I didn't even care how it ended, I just couldn't wait to pop that f*cking disgrace out of my dvd player. It try so hard to seem as if it doesn't need to try. It try so hard to prove how funny it can be under the unusual circumstances of not wanting to be funny. There is absolutely nothing relatable about these characters- and the only people who can relate wouldn't dare want to. Page as the smartass teenage, Church as the goofball, and Quaid as the uptight father- how groundbreaking. I suppose there are worse movies, if you dig deep, but do not see this movie. Don't waste your time. It seems like 5 hours of hell. Except there is not the enjoyable experience of watching it fall and crumble like some films. It just simply never stood up. ...make that 5 hours of purgatory.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
ElizabethH.Apr 26, 2008
worst movie i have seen all year. felt like amateur hour...didn't make much sense...a very odd movie. Dennis Quaid, one of my favorite actors, was the oddest. Was he drunk?
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
FrankTheBunnyApr 29, 2008
I don't walk out on many movies, but watching this dreary garbage meander on, I was starting to lose my will to live. While I thought Haden Church and Page could have developed a real chemistry, it was cut off the second it started to I don't walk out on many movies, but watching this dreary garbage meander on, I was starting to lose my will to live. While I thought Haden Church and Page could have developed a real chemistry, it was cut off the second it started to get interesting. As for the two leads, dull and miscast would be the polite way to put it. Less than zero chemistry, worse even than Danes and Martin in the execrable Shopgirl. The kiss scene forced my hand and I was out the door. The film had completely ground to a halt. Smart People? Boring, dreary film unable to be resuscitated. Putting Quaid in a coma would have made a story. Give it a miss.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
2
jefframoneMay 7, 2008
"Smart People" = Dumb Movie. There is nothing really nothing knew going on here: Dysfunctional family of characters lead by a curmudgeon widower father who learns to love again. Everyone is strangely miscast, no one does anything really "Smart People" = Dumb Movie. There is nothing really nothing knew going on here: Dysfunctional family of characters lead by a curmudgeon widower father who learns to love again. Everyone is strangely miscast, no one does anything really surprising or even interesting. It's like the screenwriter just assumes that we know these kinds of characters (and we do) and just lazily plops them into a quick-moving current that spills into a basin of predictability. Perhaps the most laughable character in the movie, is that of the success-obsessed, young Republican, Stanford-bound teenage daughter played by Ellen Page. This character is the polar opposite of the titular character played by Page in "Juno", I can't blame her for wanting to do something really different. It would be really ease for her to get type-cast as a wise-cracking teenager. But she is hardly believable in this role. But not because of her acting, but because of the writing. She almost doesn't go see her dad in the hospital because it's on the eve of her SAT exam; her bedroom walls feature a photo of Ronald Reagan among the myriad blue ribbons and other awards; the dialog is trite and really hard to believe that it's coming out of a teen's mouth. I've not seen it, but I've heard this movie is much like "Wonder Boys". One can only assume that it's better. Save your money, rent that film instead and order a pizza.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
JeffC.Aug 12, 2008
The WORST rental I have endured in a while.... Embarrassing for everyone involved. I had high hopes coming from the SIDEWAYS crew... but this was a stinker. A series of "we have to talk" moments stuck together with a soundtrack that tried to The WORST rental I have endured in a while.... Embarrassing for everyone involved. I had high hopes coming from the SIDEWAYS crew... but this was a stinker. A series of "we have to talk" moments stuck together with a soundtrack that tried to bring some kind of drama that the script couldn't. Character driven? .... into the ditch.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
TrevorAug 30, 2008
Really disappointed me. The premise has great potential, but the characters are mostly unlikeable. There is no chemistry between the leads, and Dennis Quaid comes off more like a semi-retarded, old pervert than a misunderstood, grumpy Really disappointed me. The premise has great potential, but the characters are mostly unlikeable. There is no chemistry between the leads, and Dennis Quaid comes off more like a semi-retarded, old pervert than a misunderstood, grumpy genius. Several plot devices are very cliched, and the ending is pretty much as cheesy as you can get.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
SamS.Nov 12, 2008
The only thing more pathetic than knowing this movie is the sad and boring autobiography of the playwright, Mark Poirier, is the attempt of Dennis Quaid to conceal the fact that he's not 'acting' but is, in reality, that pathetic.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
3
MarkMay 12, 2009
Interesting story that was poorly written. Cliche and attempted to be deep -- weak.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
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