The Intervention
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: August 26, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
57
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
6
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldAug 25, 2016
The Intervention feels confident and accomplished: The cast immediately seems to bond as a group, with each playing a distinctive, recognizable character. And as the camera becomes a discreet ninth guest, you quickly find that you care about these people. Read full review
83
The PlaylistRuss FischerJan 30, 2016
The Intervention may not offer many new experiences, but its combination of tart and sweet is satisfying. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyKevin P. SullivanAug 31, 2016
Tears are shed. Laughs are had. Some jokes land better than others. The script wobbles between heavy-handed and touching, but the result is a pleasantly nostalgic throwback that’s saved from its copy-cat tendencies by charismatic actors. Read full review
70
The New York TimesAndy WebsterAug 25, 2016
Despite her script’s omissions...Ms. DuVall juggles the emotional dynamics with fluid editing and light comic touches. The skilled cast members must flesh out their characters, and the unselfconscious Ms. Lynskey, who invites the audience’s mockery and ends up with its sympathy, is the revelation. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleAug 25, 2016
DuVall shows a welcome light touch with tone, easing back and forth between humor and neurosis and never treating her material as the last word on relationships. Read full review
70
VarietyDennis HarveyJan 30, 2016
Actress Clea DuVall’s debut feature as writer-director is an ensemble piece that breaks no new ground in themes or execution, but is pleasingly accomplished on all levels. Read full review
67
TheWrapSam AdamsAug 25, 2016
The Intervention is a movie whose small moments are worth savoring even when the big ones don’t come off as intended Read full review
67
ConsequenceMichael RoffmanJan 30, 2016
Despite its flaws, the film still manages to win you over, even if it never actually surprises you, making it quite an assured debut. Read full review
67
The Film StageJordan RaupJan 30, 2016
It’s a sharp script with distinct observations helping it rise above the plethora of other similarly-themed fare. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsAmy RoweAug 24, 2016
With her directorial debut, Clea Duvall could have used just a little bit of an intervention. Many things in The Intervention work, but a bit more comic relief would have taken the edge off her overdependence on melodrama. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloAug 24, 2016
Clea DuVall makes her debut here as writer-director, and after two decades in front of the camera, she knows actors — but the movie’s stifling familiarity prevents it from making much of an impact. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comSusan WloszczynaAug 26, 2016
The Intervention is no embarrassment, and any time a woman is allowed to direct a film benefits the cause. But if DuVall’s purpose was to provide a snapshot of her generation, she should have sharpened her focus and dug a little deeper. Read full review
50
New York PostSara StewartAug 25, 2016
It’s a blatantly terrible idea with potential for comedy, but DuVall’s sometimes amusing screenplay has trouble finding its footing as an ensemble portrait of struggling relationships. Read full review
40
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyJan 30, 2016
The Intervention feels bland and without consequence, as it’s not possible to invest in characters about whom we’re offered so little. Read full review
40
The GuardianNigel M SmithJan 30, 2016
Unfortunately a slack screenplay and lack of focus holds the project back from being anything more than an actors’ showcase. Read full review
25
Slant MagazineDiego SemereneAug 23, 2016
Clea DuVall crafts an entire film out of aborted attempts at a revelation that feel completely anodyne. Read full review
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