The Fantasticks
United Artists | Release Date: September 22, 2000 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
48
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
8
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Manages to honor the theatricality of the source yet becomes a fully cinematic experience. A gem.
78
Austin ChronicleRobert Faires
It has that bygone style, in which impossibly innocent ingenues suddenly break into blissfully tuneful song. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
Has slow patches and requires a generous suspension of disbelief. But it's also sweet and optimistic -- a welcome antidote to gloom. Read full review
70
TNT RoughCutAndy Klein
Scrappy, sappy, and appealing.
70
L.A. WeeklyChuck Wilson
This is the first Broadway-sourced movie musical in umpteen years, and you should see it, because the score is gorgeous. Read full review
58
Mr. ShowbizKevin Maynard
Fans starving for some song and dance celluloid may be satiated, but this movie version really shows the material's age.
50
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
The deliberate simplicity that works so well at the Sullivan Street Theater seems flat, anachronistic and almost spooky on the big screen. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineAngel Cohn & Lauren Kane
While the cast and songs are top notch, the predictability of the madness makes it pretty clear that this musical shouldn't have left the stage Read full review
50
San Francisco ExaminerWalter Addiego
It seems like another misstep - the story just doesn't hold up to Ritchie's treatment.
50
Film.comElizabeth Weitzman
A sweet, if slender, surprise. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
A brave but ultimately futile attempt at adapting a piece that is so quintessentially theatrical that it defies translation to another medium.
50
Boston GlobeJay Carr
Although dated, it's not a bad musical.
40
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Shot five years ago by director Michael Ritchie. No release until now. Uh-oh. Disaster? Pretty much.
20
VarietyScott Foundas
The resulting film is one of too much reverence and not enough satire. Read full review
20
The New York TimesDana Stevens
The movie version overflows with affection and good intention, but unwittingly turns a bauble of cheerful fakery into something that mostly feels phony. Read full review
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