54
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenThere isn't a dishonest moment in Fairhaven, Tom O'Brien's piercing, wistful portrait of three longtime buddies in their mid-30s who reunite around a funeral in a southeastern Massachusetts fishing community.
- 63Boston GlobeTom RussoBoston GlobeTom RussoO'Brien and his castmates seem to play loose with his script a bit more than they should in an effort to give the material a lived-in feeling.
- 60Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichThough its insights are slight-the movie feels as delicate and ephemeral as its sleepy winter surroundings - you can't help but admire the overall generousness O'Brien shows to his characters and performers.
- 60New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierNew York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierMovies like this, from "Diner" to "Beautiful Girls" to "Garden State," have a standard trajectory, and this film's no different. But it has a nuance and a rumpled comfort with itself, which turns Fairhaven into an inviting place to visit.
- 60VarietyJoe LeydonVarietyJoe LeydonWhile there's something undeniably fascinating about the way Fairhaven repeatedly avoids predictable payoffs for portentous dramatic setups, narrative momentum is conspicuous by its absence.
- 50Slant MagazineSlant MagazineThe film plays coy with its quintessential indie-dramedy setup, eschewing narrative and tension in favor of convivial character interplay and master shots of wintry landscapes.
- 42The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe A.V. ClubNoel MurrayFairhaven's location is lovely. Its actors are terrific. All of them beg for something better.
- 40Village VoiceNick SchagerVillage VoiceNick SchagerMessina's performance has a lived-in, emotional messiness, but the film is nothing but clichés.
- 38New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickO'Brien also provided the lethargic direction and collaborated with Messina on the cliché-infested script, which is long on booze-filled confessions.