Empire's Scores
- Movies
- TV
For 6,849 reviews, this publication has graded:
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54% higher than the average critic
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3% same as the average critic
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43% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.9 points higher than other critics.
(0-100 point scale)
Average Movie review score: 66
| Highest review score: | Oppenheimer | |
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| Lowest review score: | Superman IV: The Quest for Peace |
Score distribution:
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Positive: 3,020 out of 6849
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Mixed: 3,669 out of 6849
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Negative: 160 out of 6849
6849
movie
reviews
- By Date
- By Critic Score
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
An insanely effective no-brainer of a film, sparkling with a simple charm and energy rarely witnessed this side of illegal substances.- Empire
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Reviewed by
David Hughes
Whilst this fly is not as tightly scripted or keenly directed as its parent, it does have pace, breathless tension and the sort of gross-out effects that rules out kebabs for some time after the credits have rolled.- Empire
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- Empire
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- Critic Score
With remarkable performances, aggressive direction and a cracking pace, this is superb cinema, even if the historical accuracy leaves much to be desired.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Given such a cloying and utterly predictable plot, it's surprising that Three Fugitives works as well as it does. Nolte, all big shoulders and bashfulness shows a pleasant self-deprecating talent and copes very well with the array of humiliations ranged against him.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
Unfairly neglected, perfectly creepy and disturbing suburban bizarro drama.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
Performances, plot and landings are nailed down, but there's not enough invention here for the film to achieve cult status.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
"Save your last breath...to scream" reads the tagline - we advise you save it for the inevitable sigh as the credits roll on this monstrous B-Movie farce.- Empire
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A riveting portrait of a complex man who, like Stone himself, struggles with being a favourite of the institution(s) he attempts to rebel against.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
Sentimental, cliched and at times overdone but a true weepy if ever there was one.- Empire
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Steve Martin does his schtik to perfection and Michael Caine unveils some adroit comic timing in this charming but mediocre comedy.- Empire
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- Empire
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- Critic Score
The humour, when it comes, is on a par with Reitman's Ghosbusters, but the film feels, rather than the solid comedy it is, like a massive missed opportunity.- Empire
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- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
The first film had its moment of charm, and the cast were good enough to overcome the downright stupidity of the storyline, but this is simply a dreary bore that takes advantage of a terrific cast by moving them about on the screen without giving them anything to do. One long yawn.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Sharp animation and powerful visualisation of scale will enthrall a young audience but the clumsy cub-scout moralising feels, well, extinct.- Empire
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- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
It's safe, it's mainstream and it's silly, but Guttenberg and Hannah strike up enough chemistry to give this big budget apparition at least a little depth.- Empire
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Reviewed by
David Parkinson
An explosion of garish colour, wacky detail and surreal complications, Almodovar’s very funny, urban comedy overflows with the unexpected. See it!- Empire
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To say this is the best of the Ernest series is no great compliment, but there are enough knowing film jibes here, and ample seasonal tomfoolery, to keep a family in their seats.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Occasional misgivings about Streep's accent aside the powerful performances and sharp script augment this revealing human drama.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
It's nothing wildly original, but it is pacey and entertaining when it gets going.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A bizarre, intriguing combination of political allegory and old-fashioned paranoid horror.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
MametÂ’s gem of a movie, with a great final twist, goads the Godfathers with just as much invention and wit as the much higher profile Married To The Mob.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
It's incredible that a film could be so closely patterned on Carpenter's still-thrilling original movie and yet be so stupid, unscary and plodding as Halloween 4 is.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
An embarrassing mish-mash of comedy and horror which fits neither criteria.- Empire
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Foster is simply fantastic as the tough Sarah, unshakeable in her belief that justice has not been done and that she has a right to demand it. McGillis, from a slow start, builds beautifully and by the time the action has switched to the courtroom, she has shed her starchy persona for a true advocate's passion.- Empire
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- Empire
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- Empire
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- Empire
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- Empire
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Reviewed by
David Parkinson
Exposing the bleak reality of a supposedly more innocent time, this inspired blend of musical and melodrama succeeds in being both fond and forlorn, artistic and authentic.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Angie Errigo
Despite Lumet's home-spun pincer movement on the espionage/conspiracy genres, cliché still sneaks up and nips the film into submission.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Angie Errigo
For anyone who appreciates artistic integrity and is interested in genuinely independent films, the prolific and highly personal work of John Sayles is essential viewing.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Jonathan Demme's follow-up to "Swimming To Cambodia" is a typically entertaining diversion.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Surprisingly watchable for the third sequel and despite its general predictability it's entertainingly inventive.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
This was controversial at the time and that put alot of people off, believing that the film was probably all hype, but this is a respectful and complex work of fiction around the concepts of the biblical character and his life.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
Good idea to cast the brat pack in a Western but this was badly realised and altogether a bit flat.- Empire
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A mercenary display of product placement and a bad advertisment for filmmaking.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Cruise oozes as much charm as in Top Gun and The Colour of Money, but the mix of bar-acrobatics and Caribbean love isn't anywhere near strong enough to get you drunk.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Getting the best out of a middling novel, Romero finds new, less gruesome avenues for his skills.- Empire
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Landis' latest keeps you laughing not with it's originality (of which there is little) but with it's confidence to out-joke it's predecessors on this much-trodden ground.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Entertaining family movie for rainy nights and Christmas holidays.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Ultimately lost in it's own contrivances, Big Business still manages a few laughs thanks to it's big name leading lady.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
As a crowd-pleasing comedy it works. But it really could have been so much more.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
Strays slightly from the formula and therefore loses some of its mindless fun credentials.- Empire
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None of the energy of Mick Dundee's first foray has crept into this sequel, despite it being so close on the heels of the original. A must for lovers of the weathered outback and the even-more weathered Paul Hogan only.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
Willow is not without its charms - the effects are more than special, the set-pieces suitably epic but it just doesn't fulfill the promise of certain other fantasy films.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
A no-holds-barred assault on hollywood cop sensibilities that could have benefited from more comic diversions.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
All pout and pose, with no spine to speak of; a beast with no back.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Dan Jolin
An otherworldly tale of childhood and a definitive work of imagination.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
An insipid '80s nostalgia piece really, held together by Fox's performance and several neat turns from his support.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
The combination of Neil Simon and Mike Nichols has the pair of them back to somewhere near their best.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Pretty terrible sequel in every respect.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Vice Versa knows its place and, rather than attempting anything oddball, sticks close to the body swap formula in order to gain a decent smattering of laughs. No classic, but a watchable comedy that will find an audience.- Empire
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Reviewed by
David Parkinson
Impeccably mounted and played, this is gastro-cinema at its most sensual and intoxicating.- Empire
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- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
Frantic is Polanski's most satisfying film since Chinatown, and one of the best traditional thrillers to come down the pike in quite some time.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Appealing, emotional and with a strong enough performance by Rice-Edwards as the boy in his own little war-free world.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Good performances, but If you're looking for an uplifting tale of hope against despair, look elsewhere.- Empire
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Reviewed by
David Parkinson
Louis Malle, possibly at his best here. The drama is subtle but affecting.- Empire
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Entertaining and ambitious horror hokum, slightly tarnished by a disappointingly obvious "shock" ending.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Colin Kennedy
It’s arguably every bit as good as Stanley Kubrick’s Lolita.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
In another variation on a theme, this plodding drama may have its heart in the right place but, along side a gaggle of angst-ridden Hughes dramas of the period, fails to stand out amongst the crowd.- Empire
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- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Road movies should be pleasurable and free-spirited, but Candy Mountain drags too much weight around.- Empire
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One of Levinson's best films, and one of Hollywood's best films on the whole Vietnam subject.- Empire
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The small screen doesn't quite do justice to the rich visuals but with an incredible story and fine performances, it is still a compulsive and moving epic.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
You end up with this perky but pointless rehash of the cute alien format that became embedded in the late ‘80s.- Empire
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In a film tracing the endless battles between style and substance, Brooks delivers both in abundance.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A classic screwball comedy that draws its inspiration from the 1930's genre. The jokes are quick and amusing enough to carry it through it's hour-and-three-quarters. Russell and Hawn have fun with the characters which comes through and makes it all the funnier.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Angie Errigo
As with Platoon, Stone captures the horrific essence of an environment and transfers it to us without the need for prior knowledge. Dazzling filmmaking.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Always a spoof rather than a homage, this comedy soon realises there's only so many laughs you can plunder from the heavy premise and the repetitive carriages.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Spielberg's technical ability is very clear, with much to appreciate on close examination.- Empire
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- Critic Score
Another aching heartbreaker of a film by Berri that absorbs and rewards the audience for sticking with Manon on her sun-beaten quest.- Empire
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A warm, mature offering from Hughes, with Martin's restraint a perfect counterpoint to Candy's enormous (and enormously amusing) fooling around. You'll find sympathy here, but just as many calamitous antics as you'd expect in any Hughes vehicle.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Emma Cochrane
Charming and watchable. The three leads show their comedy potential.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Driven by cliches and almost completely ignoring the psychological growth of the children coping with the loss of their parents, it doesn't take long for this to descent into meaningless schlock.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
Never managing to look more hi-tech or further on from 1987 than, well, Hi-tech trainers, this Arnie vehicle still runs it's bloody course without dropping many gears. A brainless, breathless thrill.- Empire
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Only stony hearts won't be moved by Attenborough's vivid, if occasionally sentimental, evocation of a great well of human potential cruelly snubbed out.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Not as closely controlled as My Beautiful Laundrette, but still a purposeful cross-cultural comedy that raises a few questions alongside the few laughs.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Convincingly sozzled performances but, like Bukowski's poetry, there is little meaningful here to take away.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
There are no gothic extravagances in Kathryn Bigelow's bone-dry, style-rich, noir-steeped vampire western. Instead it comprises a fascinatingly modern take on blood sucking mythology, shedding tradition to examine the creatures as human counterparts.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A patchwork of a movie that ultimately knows where it's going, but doesn't really know how to get there.- Empire
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Rich in atmosphere, its leisurely pace dwells on repressed passions in Edwardian society.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Angie Errigo
Two absolutely riveting performances and a smart reversal of the usual male-female stalker scenario leave behind a nasty taste and an unforgettable cinema experience.- Empire
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Reviewed by
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A slicky edited, white knuckle ride to the depths of depravity.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A fun night in with the tellybox, but then it never claimed to be anything more.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Ian Nathan
As a direct tribute to the dignity of the solider facing attacks on both their bodies and their souls it puts things in a salutary context.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
Chris Cooper's superb performance and numerous authentic details makes this a little gem.- Empire
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Reviewed by
David Parkinson
A simple, elemental tale that makes breaking the heart seem like the easiest and most natural thing a filmmaker can do to his audience. Which, of course, it isn't.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
Good performances from a strong cast and paranoid plotting enough to keep even the staunchest of remake nay-sayers quiet. Hitchockian production with a modern twist.- Empire
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Nice performances, a useful script and a dignified ending all boost this film's appeal, but it is the workable simplicity of the premise that really does it.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
Sharper than a stake in it's genre references, The Monster Squad appeals to cinephile as well as teen sensibilities.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
The first film to be based on a line of toys, this might not be the last, but it'd take something awful to replace it as the worst.- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A comic take on Rear Window, Badham's latest has the acting talent to carry it over the sizeable gulfs in plot to an end product that brings laughs aplenty.- Empire
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The Lost Boys remains a supremely watchable example of something the '80s did right.- Empire
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Reviewed by
Kim Newman
After the fizzle of the later Roger Moore Bonds, The Living Daylights brings in a new 007 in Timothy Dalton, who manages the Connery trick of seeming suave and tough at the same time, and tried to get away from the weak comedy in favour of proper international intrigue.- Empire
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- Empire
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Reviewed by
William Thomas
A dedicatory, sometimes sombre recreation of the career of 50s teen-throb Richie Valens, which feels like a personal project by director Luis Valdez.- Empire
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Reviewed by