- 8
an emotionally rich and satisfying drama featuring a terrifically understated performance from John Cusack.
—Kevin Crust Los Angeles Times
- 8
...a film of quiet, carefully crafted scenes that build upon each other to pack an emotional wallop.
—Leah Rozen People
- 8
...a small, tender film...
—Stephen Holden New York Times
- 8
...starts raw, gets rawer, and fights for honesty over commercial calculation.
—Tasha Robinson Onion AV Club
- 7
Two finely nuanced performances drive this low-key character study...
—Ken Fox TV Guide
- 7
...a muted and sad piece of work, occasionally dipping so far into its low-key unobtrusiveness that it almost fades from sight to the plaintive strings of Clint Eastwood's delicate score (no, really).
—Chris Barsanti filmcritic.com
- 7
...worth seeing for the way John Cusack works with Shelan O?Keefe and Gracie Bednarczyk, two of the least affected and most affecting young actors to hit the screen this year.
—Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune
- 7
...a picture about tragedy in one American family's life, and it's a convincing and humane one.
—Glenn Kenny Premiere
- 7
John Cusack can project such tenderness and kindness.
—Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times
- 7
...a muted and sad piece of work, occasionally dipping so far into its low-key unobtrusiveness that it almost fades from sight to the plaintive strings of Clint Eastwood's delicate score (no, really).
—Chris Barsanti Reel
- 7
...sneak(s) up and floor(s) you.
—Peter Travers Rolling Stone
- 6
This quiet, understated movie even includes a low-key piano-heavy score by Clint Eastwood, who saw the film when it first played Sundance last January and was so moved he volunteered to provide the music. You will be, too.
—Pete Hammond Maxim
- 5
...is likely to be his second flop in as many months...
—Kyle Smith New York Post
- 5
...anesthetizing...
—Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly
- 5
...a quiet little movie that's big on emotion.
—Dezhda Mountz E!
- 4
One can only regret that Eastwood didn't offer to reshoot the whole movie while he was at it.
—Scott Foundas Village Voice
- 4
...it's the Paul Haggis version of National Lampoon's Vacation, though a whole lot less amusing than that description might imply.
—Nick Schager Slant Magazine
- 4
One can only regret that Eastwood didn't offer to reshoot the whole movie while he was at it.
—Scott Foundas LA Weekly