Coastal Elites
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 12, 2020
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 20
  3. Negative: 3 out of 20

Critic Reviews

  1. RogerEbert.com
    Reviewed by: Christy Lemire
    Sep 11, 2020
    37
    A film that’s well-intentioned but unlikely to have much impact.
  2. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Kelly Lawler
    Sep 10, 2020
    20
    Meant to be a satire of the rich, "elite" political Left, the series makes fun of them but offers an infantilizing imagining of conservatives from a liberal point of view. ... Stories of the pandemic are half-baked and feel tacked on in "Coastal," which otherwise is more interested in political debate. But the special is misguided in its exploration of the crisis we are living through. Dever's monologue is entirely about COVID, and while the actress is accomplished in her delivery, the script is egregiously shallow.
  3. The Guardian
    Reviewed by: Charles Bramesco
    Sep 8, 2020
    20
    Issa Rae’s appearance punctuates the parade of whiteness, though her character does little more than provide lip service to diversity of perspective. ... The Danish film-maker Lars Von Trier says that a good film should be “like a rock in your shoe”, and the poet Cesar A Cruz declared the purpose of art “to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed”. In this capacity, by the basic functioning of art, Rudnick and Roach have failed. As activists, doubly so.

User Reviews

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User Score
2.1

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 10
  3. Negative: 7 out of 10
  1. NavyBean
    Sep 12, 2020
    0
    unfunny, pat yourself on the back, echo chamber bs. Like the guy making Orange Julius jokes about the mall. Been done better. Been doneunfunny, pat yourself on the back, echo chamber bs. Like the guy making Orange Julius jokes about the mall. Been done better. Been done funnier. The louder you shout, the less I listen. Nothing new. Not worth the time. Twitter is more fun.… Full Review »
  2. TVJerry
    Sep 14, 2020
    6
    This is one of the first major shows shot social distanced. Each actor is in a solo environment, as they perform a monologue about how theThis is one of the first major shows shot social distanced. Each actor is in a solo environment, as they perform a monologue about how the Trump Administration has affected their lives. It starts with Bette Midler, who’s in classic comic form, which is amplified by writer Paul Rudnick, who’s at his best satirical style. The rest lack the humor, but embrace emotional responses. Dan Levy deals with being an out gay actor, Issa Rae encounters her prep school classmate, Sarah Paulson copes with her MAGA family and Kaitlyn Dever plays a nurse coping with COVID. It helps that accomplished director Jay Roach has created simple sestups to allow the actors to shine. Overall, this is a self-important screed decrying our current situation with well-worn political points. It’s a sincere effort at embodying liberal responses to our current social situation for an audience of the already-converted.… Full Review »
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