Sword of Trust
IFC Films | Release Date: July 12, 2019 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Film ThreatLorry KiktaJul 12, 2019
Sword Of Trust is one of the most well-written and acted comedies I’ve seen in quite some time and definitely the best I’ve seen so far this year. It has a high absurdity factor but simultaneously the set, costume, and production design is so life-like, you willing go along for this truly weird adventure that really only could happen in the south. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperJul 19, 2019
Some of the developments seem a bit rushed and forced, but then Shelton wraps up the story with the perfect grace note, and we find ourselves thinking about the lives of these characters beyond the closing credits and hoping they’re all going to be just fine. Read full review
88
Washington PostAnn HornadayJul 17, 2019
There’s a low-key, lackadaisical charm about Sword of Trust that might lead viewers to mistake its modesty for lack of ambition. But there’s virtuosity at work in this beguiling comedy that’s no less impressive for being improvisational, understated and refreshingly self-effacing. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloJul 9, 2019
It’s a pleasure to see Shelton in her element again, guiding actors to places that feel unexpected yet authentic. Maron is an ideal match for her sensibility, and they make terrific scene partners, too. May this be the start of something special. Read full review
80
The New York TimesGlenn KennyJul 11, 2019
The humor has a persistent goofy streak, but what sticks to the ribs is the poignant stuff. Read full review
80
VarietyDennis HarveyMar 9, 2019
The considerable pleasure of Lynn Shelton’s latest “Sword of Trust” is that everyone onscreen is so good at this kind of [improv] work that one wishes more tightly scripted comedy screenplays had such savory dialogue, or inspired character conceptions. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleSteve DavisJul 31, 2019
For a comedy about an old weapon with a dulled blade, Sword of Truth is razor sharp in just about every way. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeMark FeeneyJul 17, 2019
Sword of Trust has a dogged weirdness all its own, a singularity that extends to Maron having written the excellently jangly score. When was the last time you saw — or heard — a movie where the star composed the music? It’s just part of the its-own-world quality of Sword of Trust. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleJul 17, 2019
The main pleasure of Sword of Trust is in watching an ensemble of expert comic actors play off of each other. The movie was improvised, based on a tightly constructed story, and every scene has some comic jewel in it, some unexpected touch or moment. Read full review
75
The Film StageJared MobarakJul 11, 2019
Sword of Trust proves an enjoyable curio of eccentrics getting themselves in way over their heads. Read full review
75
TheWrapElizabeth WeitzmanJul 11, 2019
As with all of Shelton’s improv-inspired movies, the plot offers plenty of interest but the personalities provide the purpose. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreJul 8, 2019
The characters feel real, the situations not that-far-fetched, and the dialogue has the halting, fresh-picked life of improvisation, a tribute to the script by “mumblecore” mistress Lynn Shelton, who also directed, and Michael Patrick O’Brien of “Saturday Night Live.” No lie, it is laugh out loud funny. Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnMar 9, 2019
The movie’s lightweight plot yields a disposable comedy with a lot on its mind, but its modest ambition is just enough to let Maron push his onscreen appeal in a new direction. Read full review
75
The PlaylistKimber MyersMar 9, 2019
“Sword of Truth” is full of seemingly effortless charms and quirks, but Shelton keeps it from overloading into full-on twee. This is a small film in every way: one that sometimes lacks precision, but its casual feel really works within its world and among its characters. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeMar 9, 2019
Enjoyably shaggy ... Both [Maron] and [Shelton] seem happy to play to their fans in this modest outing, worrying little about straying beyond their comfort zones. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsJul 16, 2019
A glass three-fifths full, writer-director Lynn Shelton’s affable comedy Sword of Trust gets by on the improvisational wiles of its cast. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzJul 12, 2019
It's rare that you see an American film that is essentially comedic placing so much faith in the the landscape of the human face and the sound of the human voice. If the entire film were this focused and minimalist, it might have been a knockout. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineChuck BowenJul 8, 2019
Marc Maron’s commanding aura of regret gives the film, despite its missed opportunities, an emotional center. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangJul 19, 2019
Sword of Trust evokes the specter of American divisions past and present — between North and South, right and left — and suggests that comedy has the ability to disarm them all. It’s a heartening idea, but it could be sharper. Read full review
60
Rolling StoneDavid FearJul 10, 2019
Maron may not go wide in terms of range yet. But damned if he can’t go deep. Read full review
40
New York Magazine (Vulture)Emily YoshidaMar 9, 2019
Sword of Trust feints at being an Ideas movie, but really only wants to hang — which is certainly not a crime, but given the subject matter, and These Times, it’s a little disappointing. Read full review
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