The Mudge Boy
Showtime Networks | Release Date: May 7, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
L.A. WeeklyChuck Wilson
(Emile Hirsch) a miraculous young actor. Read full review
75
New York PostMegan Lehmann
Offers an idyllic, comforting surface of tree-shaded lanes and sunshine-dappled fields - but a disturbing tale throbs beneath. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleRuthe Stein
A little picture -- the names of the entire cast would fit on half a sheet of paper -- but it’s more heartfelt than movies with 50 times the budget. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Odd and intense, very well acted, and impossible to dismiss. Read full review
70
Film ThreatMerle Bertrand
A film that's every bit as odd, unique, and unnerving as its title character. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
An auspicious debut for writer-director Michael Burke, the film makes a superb actor's showcase for Hirsch as well as Guiry. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
It's especially good in its handling of actors and its sharp feeling for characters who can't even describe their own problems, much less analyze them. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
Deeply disturbing, but dramatically realized, and the movie marks Burke as a young talent to watch. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneRobert K. Elder
Simply photographed and well acted, The Mudge Boy captures "Deliverance"-level disturbing images as it takes an unsentimental approach to its characters. Read full review
60
VarietyDavid Rooney
Sensitive direction and a touching performance from Emile Hirsch in the title role help counter some dramatic naivete and awkward, at times unintentional, humor in The Mudge Boy. Read full review
60
Village VoiceDavid Ng
Despite its chic pedigree, the film projects a shy modesty, a virtue largely attributable to Emile Hirsch's unflashy performance. Read full review
60
The New York TimesDave Kehr
Depending on your choice, the film is either an unpleasantly masochistic fantasy or an unpleasantly sadistic one. Read full review
50
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Its sex is brutal, its depiction of human nature is crude and pessimistic, and its climax -- which involves animal mutilation -- is enough to ruin your whole week. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
It's not the homosexuality that's dubious here, it's the chicken. Read full review
40
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
A deadly earnest drama tripped up by clumsy plotting and unintentional bursts of humor. Read full review
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