The Playroom

Name: The Playroom
Genre: Drama
Released: February 8, 2013
Rating: 59

2013

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Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

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The Playroom

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Movie Details & Credits

Freestyle Digital Media | Release Date: February 8, 2013 | Not Rated

Summary: In 1970s suburbia, Maggie and her younger siblings spend the night telling each other stories in the attic. Downstairs, as their parents entertain guests over the course of a gin-soaked evening, truths are unearthed and betrayals come to light. With standout performances from John Hawkes, Molly Parker, and a cast of talented young actors,In 1970s suburbia, Maggie and her younger siblings spend the night telling each other stories in the attic. Downstairs, as their parents entertain guests over the course of a gin-soaked evening, truths are unearthed and betrayals come to light. With standout performances from John Hawkes, Molly Parker, and a cast of talented young actors, Julia Dyer's second feature is an honest and challenging look at the reality behind the façade of a seemingly perfect American family. (Tribeca Film)… Expand

Director: Julia Dyer

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden

Feb 7, 2013

The Playroom captures the malaise of mid-’70s suburbia with a merciless accuracy not seen since Ang Lee’s 1997 film, “The Ice Storm.” Read full review

Film.com Eric D. Snider

Feb 26, 2013

The kids’ performances are effective and strong, with little touches that bring them to life as recognizable types of smart young people. Read full review

Chris Packham

Feb 5, 2013

The Playroom jettisons all things cute, but still takes flight by portraying the characters, adult and juvenile, under direct lighting, and asking you if you care about them. Read full review

Joshua Rothkopf

Feb 5, 2013

The precedent for a movie like this is Ang Lee’s bruised "The Ice Storm," but whereas that film sprung from a novel that burns with indictment, Julia Dyer’s effort — scripted by her late sister, Gretchen — is a more open-ended affair and slightly unsatisfying for it. Read full review

Ronnie Scheib

Feb 7, 2013

Although Dyer's sophomore feature clearly intends to capture the magical otherness of a child's p.o.v., nothing in her strangely aloof mise-en-scene or her late sister Gretchen's script yields anything more than a group of well-thesped, believable suburban kids upset by their parents' behavior. Read full review

Tomas Hachard

Feb 4, 2013

Lacking much in the way of character depth, the film attempts to fill the gap with melodrama. Read full review

Scott Tobias

Feb 8, 2013

Between the loaded conversations and metaphors, and the phony overlay of a children's fairy tale, The Playroom can't stop telegraphing themes and interpreting itself. There's nothing left for the audience to do. Read full review

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