Straight Up
Strand Releasing | Release Date: February 28, 2020 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinMar 5, 2020
A sweet, funny and thoroughly winning romantic comedy that’s a kind of a bi-curious take on When Harry Met Sally for the Millennial crowd — or anyone else looking for some brainy, banter-rific fun. Read full review
80
VarietyOwen GleibermanFeb 27, 2020
A little of this can go a long way (the film is sometimes a bit airless), but James Sweeney is a filmmaker with the rare ability to toss antically inspired dialogue right off the edge of his brain. Straight Up is the work of a startling talent. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreJun 30, 2020
Straight Up wrestles with its messaging, which bogs the picture down. It takes a few predictable turns, and some predictably unpredictable ones. But Sweeney maintains the manic patter even when the pacing flags. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleDavid LewisApr 16, 2020
On the surface, Sweeney’s film is a playful examination of sexual fluidity, but underneath the gags, it’s really a universal, sweet movie about the modern complexities of finding a soulmate. It’s also a nice example of how independent films can breathe fresh air into genres like the romantic comedy. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comNell MinowFeb 28, 2020
An assured and refreshing first feature from writer/director/star James Sweeney. With the rhythms and conventions of a traditional romantic comedy, it is refreshingly unconventional in form and content, boasting a sharp script and a gift for cinematic storytelling. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerApr 23, 2020
It only works because Sweeney and Findlay have such an incredible spark between them. Read full review
67
The Film StageGlenn Heath Jr.Feb 25, 2020
Often charming in the most confrontational way possible, Straight Up pays due respect to the endlessly creative ways people delude themselves into avoiding difficult realities. It may talk (and talk) a good game, but it’s in the quieter moments of silence when it speaks volumes about the perils of modern alienation. Read full review
65
TheWrapCarlos AguilarJun 26, 2019
Lighthearted in tone yet intellectually intriguing, the L.A.-set film ponders valid queries about identity, even if they’re almost entirely sustained by dialogue. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy BurrMay 6, 2020
It’s worth a look, if only to get in on the ground floor of a comic mind who will hopefully continue to grow. And it’s worth a listen, if only for observations like “You know what’s ironic? Arguing about Alanis Morissette with your gay boyfriend.” Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterKeith UhlichFeb 24, 2020
The closing scenes of Straight Up are more contrived and constrained — an acquiescence to living inside the box, with one dramatic wrinkle that feels tacked on and ill-considered. The fiery talent that Sweeney displays throughout, both in front of and behind the camera, regrettably ends up ashen. Read full review
58
IndieWireJude DryFeb 28, 2020
Straight Up is meticulous in building its hyper-stylized aesthetic, but doesn’t have much to say about the human condition. Read full review
50
The New York TimesBen KenigsbergFeb 27, 2020
You never quite buy Todd and Rory as flesh-and-blood people who could have conversations that don’t sound rehearsed. Read full review
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