Vitus
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: June 29, 2007 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
63
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Vitus, a fizzy domestic fairy tale from Switzerland, gives you a lift, as it revels in the oddball joy of genius as kid power. Read full review
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
The cast is superb, especially the young actors who portray Vitus; Gheorghiu is a real-life piano prodigy, lending an extra frisson to the intoxicating music that plays throughout the film. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
A gentle fable about how the young boy from Zurich struggles to fit in rather than stand out, Vitus is both a cautionary tale for pushy parents and an endearing, if eccentric, empowerment fantasy for precocious children. Read full review
75
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
When the movie becomes pure fantasy, it's impossible to swallow. (No landlord rents an apartment to a 12-year-old with no adult in sight.) Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderRonnie Scheib
Celebratory, family-friendly fable. Read full review
70
VarietyEddie Cockrell
A natural for kidfests, pic is a fine example of old-fashioned story-telling and also will dance wherever detailed character development and leisurely-paced drama are appreciated. Read full review
70
Village VoiceJean Oppenheimer
Charming Swiss import. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKevin Crust
Combines complex relationships with a winning style of storytelling. Read full review
67
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
Its heart is never anywhere but in the right place. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
A fairly average movie about a very unusual child, Vitus does have an earnest charm. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jason Anderson
Nevertheless, Vitus's cool intelligence, knotty narrative and precise performances make it a pleasure to watch even when it sends mixed messages about the true nature of its protagonist. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
"Joshua" is a horror movie that doesn't want to freak you out too much. Vitus freaks you out, but its makers seem to have no idea that it does. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldMarta Barber
Deep down, this is a film about childhood dreams and the determination to make those dreams come true. With such a positive message, you can't help yodeling on your exit from the theater. Read full review
60
The New York TimesMatt Zoller Seitz
The triumphant musical cues and comic double takes encourage us to cheer Vitus's high jinks as if he were Ferris Bueller's ivory-tickling kid brother. Read full review
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
The film ultimately swindles its own story. Read full review
50
New York PostV.A. Musetto
A sappy look at the title character, a 12-year-old boy who's a math and music prodigy. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
It is ultimately a simplistic film that will play better to youngsters who wish their grandpas were this cool and to parents who are nostalgic for the kind of exceptional childhood they neither had nor can provide for their own children. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleRuthe Stein
Vitus is likable enough and definitely suitable entertainment for young people willing to read subtitles. Read full review
50
Chicago TribuneSid Smith
A Swiss movie that flirts back and forth between the French and German sensibilities at play in that nation. Read full review
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