The Lesson
Bleecker Street Media | Release Date: July 7, 2023 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
7
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisJul 6, 2023
Unfolding with a tonic intelligence and a slow accretion of menace, Alex MacKeith’s screenplay is smoothly in sync with the specific skills of each performer. Read full review
83
Original-CinLiz BraunJul 6, 2023
It’s a clever bit of noir that keeps a viewer slightly off-balance at all times as the tension builds. Read full review
80
Screen RantMae AbdulbakiJul 14, 2023
The Lesson is gripping and compelling, enhanced by its cast and score. It knows precisely what kind of movie it is and, though at times predictable, has much to say and a sophisticated, unpretentious style to go along with it. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzJul 3, 2023
The Lesson is a quiet little film with surprisingly sharp teeth. Read full review
67
ColliderChase HutchinsonJul 6, 2023
That it holds together is a testament to the cast who it feels like are battling against clumsy escalations that go bigger and louder when the quieter moments carry with them a far more tactful deployment of emotion. Read full review
63
New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottJul 5, 2023
Between its penchant for melodrama and an absolute lack of warmth, The Lesson isn’t the kind of film that will connect with many viewers in a way that sticks to their ribs much longer than the closing credits. Still, between the work of its expert cast and Troughton’s well-played surprises, there’s enough there to make it a sturdy-enough, diverting enough bit of blockbuster-season counterprogramming. Read full review
63
The Associated PressLindsey BahrJul 5, 2023
The Lesson is worth a watch as a tightly crafted film made by and for adults unafraid of some rhododendron metaphors and casual Tchaikovsky talk. Read full review
63
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanJul 3, 2023
Echoing Liam’s review of Sinclair’s work in progress, I’d call the first two acts of the film cleverly constructed, fresh and fascinating, yet marred by a climax and conclusion that are unworthy of what came before. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineChris BarsantiJun 30, 2023
It’s a testament to the skills of the cast and filmmakers that The Lesson’s mysteries, while easy to foretell, are worth unraveling. Read full review
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