52
Metascore
19 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThough some plot elements are pushily therapeutic, they're offset by others whose novelty distinguishes Rudderless from movies of its sort.
- It’s an ambitious and strong first start for Macy’s filmmaking career as he’s clearly taken a note or two from some of the great filmmakers he’s worked for. Don’t let the title of this film fool you—Rudderless is solid.
- 67The A.V. ClubJesse HassengerThe A.V. ClubJesse HassengerRudderless accumulates puzzling details and goodwill in near-equal measure.
- 60The DissolveGenevieve KoskiThe DissolveGenevieve KoskiRudderless’ biggest flaw is that it’s overly committed to its trajectory, creating obvious cause-and-effect scenarios rather than letting its characters simply live and act within the situation the story places them in.
- 50Village VoiceSam WeisbergVillage VoiceSam WeisbergThe result, despite a few stellar moments, is a not-quite-tragic-enough meditation on mourning and self-healing, crossed with a not-quite-gritty-enough portrait of indie rockers trying to break big.
- 40VarietyDennis HarveyVarietyDennis HarveyCrudup does a lot to keep things watchable, playing with a slightly acidic wryness that suggests the character’s humor has only been heightened by his grieving hopelessness.
- 38Slant MagazineTomas HachardSlant MagazineTomas HachardIt unnecessarily hampers itself for over an hour for the sake of a gotcha moment before finally allowing its actors to explore something more than generic grief.
- 38McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreA tragic quasi-musical that never quite finds its way.
- 20Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichWhat really makes Rudderless a full-blown affront is a late-breaking narrative revelation (no spoilers here) that’s meant to add resonant emotional depth, but instead comes off as jaw-droppingly repugnant. That’s appropriate, though, for a movie with no sense of direction.