The Merry Gentleman
Samuel Goldwyn Films | Release Date: May 1, 2009 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
55
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
5
Negative:
4
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The Hollywood ReporterDuane Byrge
An edgy entertainment, the movie also remarkably has the feel-good warmth of an old-time Irish film. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesBetsy Sharkey
A dark and lovely drama about the complications of human connections that is Michael Keaton's impressive directing debut. Read full review
90
The New York TimesManohla Dargis
The film’s title, needless to say, has an ironic bite. One of the pleasures of The Merry Gentleman is Mr. Keaton's commitment to that bite, which never registers as cruel or gratuitous, just honest, weary, sad. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Original, absorbing and curiously moving. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
A sly and surprisingly sublime little noir romance. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
Without her (Kelly Macdonald), the generally well-acted The Merry Gentleman would descend into terminal lugubriousness. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
It has been argued that for characters to be three-dimensional, they must have a past, a present, and a future, not to mention an arc. The Merry Gentleman offers a counter-argument for those who would dispute this. Read full review
70
VarietyTodd McCarthy
Despite its shortcomings as a plausible, compelling story, The Merry Gentleman, Michael Keaton's directorial debut, exhibits genuine promise behind the camera. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
If ever a film needed a double shot of espresso and a swift kick in the caboose, it's this one. At best, the film is hypnotic; at worst, it challenges--no, dares--audiences not to fall asleep. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
It's a very small film, undermined by a puttering rhythm and Pinter-worthy pauses in the second half and a resolution neither satisfyingly oblique nor conventionally pleasing. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
An overly muted and cautious piece of work. Watching it is like seeing a man ease out onto the limb of a tree, constantly testing its strength. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
A movie that doesn't quite have enough romance, thriller or revenge-fantasy elements to qualify for any of those genres. More than anything, it's a celebration of uncomfortable silences. The awkward moments in this movie far outweigh the joyful or tragic ones. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
Keaton offers glimpses of a directorial gift, but this odd little piece feels like a warm-up for something more compelling. Read full review
40
Village VoiceNicolas Rapold
Keaton, who took over directing duties from ill-stricken screenwriter Ron Lazzeretti before shooting started, inherited a stock-still story of two lonely souls and never develops their rapport. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
Filled more with character studies than narrative intrigues, The Merry Gentleman also provides only sketchy personality details and background information. Read full review
38
New York PostKyle Smith
The potential for suspense is dropped (there's a subplot about the receptionist's flight from her violent husband, but he appears in only a couple of scenes) in favor of lots of hushed interludes in which nothing happens. Read full review
33
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
This Debbie Downer of a drama is a bitter slog. Read full review
30
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Ms. Macdonald works modest wonders within these constraints -- she's a lovely actress, and a skilled one -- but too much is asked of her; Kate's innocence finally wilts beneath the camera's fixed gaze. Read full review
30
Washington PostDesson Thomson
It's too bad the filmmakers didn't take a breath, look at the rushes and see what a comedic gem they had. With just a few tweaks, The Merry Gentleman could have made a wickedly funny parody of the over-earnest, lyrically hard-edged indie movie. But it's too late for do-overs. Read full review
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