Beginners

  • 2011


MOVIE IS emotional romantic confusing devastated complicated
Close Video

75 %
84 % Certified Fresh
$ 14 Million
Award Winner
See Where to Watch Beginners
Positive Reviews 113
Negative reviews 11
Average Rating 3.6/5
emotional romantic confusing devastated complicated

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
3.0
The performance threatens to overwhelm the film, if not transcend it, but Beginners folds it into a complicated study of love deferred. Av Club
3.0
Plummer ... creates an inspiring, fully rounded man in late bloom, and McGregor responds with a performance to match. EW
4.4
Its a hopeful fable with deep optimism and a cheerful style that kids itself. Rogerebert
4.0
Beginners is a structured movie, but it allows for messiness within the structure; its open hearted but hilariously self effacing. Common Sense Media
3.5
Mills fashions the set up for an overwrought, thoroughly depressing character study into an oddly charming comedy. Indie Wire
3.0
Beginners, beyond its pervasive atmosphere of melancholy and loss, suffers from a little self indulgence. Its your typical indie drama. We Got This Covered
4.5
Grief doesnt exactly sound like a promising starting point for a love story, but, really, what a bounty Mills presents to us of beauty and buoyancy an .. Austin Chronicle
5.0
The film understands its subject(s) as contradicting and broken, and its lovers not as complements for each other, but rough surfaced supplements.
5.0
You know youre in the hands of a superbly gifted filmmaker when he can pull off a talking dog.
4.0
The chemistry among all the actors is terrific.In some scenes, you can just feel the characters hold back and then release a flood of emotions as they .. The Hollywood Reporter
4.0
Grief doesnt exactly sound like a promising starting point for a love story, but, really, what a bounty Mills presents to us of beauty and buoyancy an ..
4.0
Love is waiting to be found, if only youll let it into your life. Paste Magazine
4.0
Is it possible for anyone to breathe new life into romantic comedy.These days, too many examples of the genre are lame and feeble minded. Telegraph
4.0
That sensibility fits just as perfectly with the delightful performances by McGregor, Plummer and Laurent that grace this film.
3.8
You just might not know how you know it. Advisory: Strong language, adult situations.Beginners Drama. San Francisco Chronicle
3.0
With good performances and characters, Beginners is an enjoyable, amusing and occasionally poignant watch.
4.0
Writer director Mike Mills romantic comedy drama Beginners is filled with crises of identity, but underneath it all is a beautifully humane, sweet and .. Ny Daily News
3.1
Its an embarrassment of emotional riches some pure and crisp, others cloying. This is a film that delights one moment and, the next, gets bogged down .. The Globe And Mail
3.0
Olivers own life thats where the movie got on my nerves.How brightly must Dame Fortune smile on Oliver Philly
3.8
Whats refreshing about Beginners is its sympathy for all of its characters, which translates into the characters sympathy for each other. Philly
4.0
An unusually gratifying film about a playful 75 year old mans zest for life and its effect on his serious and lonely 38 year old son. Spirituality And Practice
3.0
Doesnt entirely avoid affectation, but overall its a touching story of two generations, father and son, each striking out on a new path. One Guys Opinion
3.0
Its actually this stereotypically male stoicism of the filmmaker, more than his tale of a hip oldster enjoying a much younger boyfriend (Goran Visnjic .. Village Voice
3.8
Its no closer to a great film than Thumbsucker was, but it is both easy to watch and digest, and it is particularly easy to see what this very fine ca .. Rogers Movie Nation
3.0
Its a very positive step, indeed, as the pic leaves us with the rosy message that its never too late to be liberated and find true love. Sover
3.8
Beginners is a small story with a big heart.The movie is rich in character development but short on originality, perhaps because the issues encountere .. ReelViews
3.0
In his follow up to Thumbsucker (2005), writer director Mike Mills continues to evoke a state of perpetual adolescence: the only fears given real weig .. Chicago Reader
4.4
Its all about dropping their inhibitions to be sincere and silly with one another. Mark Reviews Movies
3.0
And then theres Arthur.Millss homage to his dad is a very complex, his script chockful of ideas and symbolism and parallels and art and emotion, and y ..
5.0
What results is a disarmingly honest tale of affection, both romantic and filial. Usa Today
3.1
Carpenters expectedly strong visuals stand as the films one overtly positive attribute, and its also worth noting that the filmmaker does a nice job o .. Reel Film Reviews
3.0
How about American movie studios giving some American actors a little more work.This film had good performances by McGregor, Plummer and Laurent. Lariat
3.0
Plummer gives a textured portrayal as Hal, but its the character of Oliver, sensitively played by McGregor, that rings truest, even when he takes advi .. Radio Times
4.0
Its really the acting here that distinguishes the picture, elevating the material and counteracting Mills tendency to wallow. Plummer, McGregor, Laure .. Screen It
4.0
Its narrative structure, flitting back and forth in time and making frequent use of montage sequences, voice overs and drawings, is ingenious. Independent
3.5
This adds a quirky touch to an introspective, gentle exploration of one mans emotional life. Shadows On The Wall
2.0
The View London Review out ofstarsRunning time:minsWritten and directed by Mike Mills (Thumbsucker), Beginners stars Ewan McGregor as Oliver, a graphi .. View London
3.0
All of this has its value, but Plummer, in rollicking good form, without a shred of sentimentality, is primed for greatness, and Mills keeps cutting a .. Cs Monitor
3.8
But this superbly acted and ultimately disarming dual coming out comedy drama which turns out to be semi autobiographical certainly grows on you, desp .. New York Post
1.0
Writer director Mike Mils is dead set on making Beginners a quiveringly sensitive character study, but the whole thing is so overloaded with annoyingl .. Film Journal International ..
4.5
Its a sad, empty place; its poignant when Oliver flushes bottles of pills. Az Central
3.1
In Beginners, Christopher Plummer is full of life and full of death.He plays Hal, a widowed father who, at 75, tells his 38 year old son, Oliver (Ewan .. Boston
4.0
I think theres something basic lacking in the narrative to push it over the top. Mountain X
3.0
Like the best of the genre, Beginners captures the times and waxes philosophical while entertaining us with a simple but honest love story. Emanuellevy
4.0
Beginners is immensely moving, funny and involving, the acting beyond reproach, with Christopher Plummer bringing a rare wit, compassion and unsanctim .. Guardian
3.0
It is tonally elusive, cerebral and subdued, but this is a film with a healthy, if self conscious IQ.It could be an excellent date movie. Guardian
2.0
His second venture, Beginners, is a backward step: decently acted but so uneventful and underpowered that it will stretch the patience of mainstream a .. Daily Mail
4.5
If so, you will probably enjoy this film.If not, you will probably still enjoy it. Eye For Film
4.0
The three central performances are the films strongest element and each inhabits their role magnificently.
4.0
Intelligently written, beautifully photographed and creatively challenging, due to its slow, deliberate pacing, this bittersweet, contemporary love st .. Susang Ranger
4.0
And even if you walk in knowing nothing about him, its clear that nothing here is an affectation, just a moving, directly and quietly communicated sto .. Movies
4.5
This isnt quite the case, which makes it that much more exciting. Movies
4.0
He is so full of curiosity and charm that he easily steals the film. Express
3.1
What crafty delight this lion brings to the screen, to all sorts of characters. Chicago Tribune
4.0
Mills allows one half of his story to subtly shape the other in a way that makes for a more coherent and rewarding tale than its disparate elements su .. Total Film
5.0
It is a marvel of storytelling and character, telling a relatively familiar and potentially melodramatic tale in a way that feels different, new and p .. Movie Freak
4.0
The Bottom Line: Mills delivers another film full of poise and poignancy thats emotionally devastating, especially if youve ever lost a parent or love ..
3.8
Plummer hits all the right notes in the highs of liberation and discovery, and the death sentence low Hal cannot entirely deny but refuses to wallow i .. Groucho Reviews
3.5
Though some viewers may find Beginners a mite too shy and retiring for their tastes, it is hard not to be impressed by the all round skills of its wri .. Herald Sun
4.5
It does get a bit too cute stylistically, but the easy chemistry between the three leads ensures this adds up to a gentle and often touching charmer. Film Ink
4.0
A quietly moving, delicately mounted romantic drama that touches the heart with resorting to melodrama or an over reliance on conflict.Easily one of t .. The Age
4.0
Beginners really is a superbly quirky indie film that is moving and intelligent, with a truly great cast. Cine Vue
4.0
Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe See our privacy notice Thank you for subscribing!.Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Em .. Mirror
3.0
Not according to this whimsical comedy drama inspired by indie filmmaker Mike Millss own life. Digital Spy
4.0
Like his irreverent film Thumbsucker, Mills tackles dark territory but never strays too far into melancholy. Flicks
3.8
*** (out of four) Beginners constantly jumps back and forth between the present and different moments in the past.If it were linear, however, the movi .. Red Eye Chicago
3.1
Its never too late in ones life to embrace your true self, but, damn it, there also never seems to be enough time. Dustin Put Man
4.0
Its a beautiful and relaxed performance by Christopher Plummer, at once brave and sunny, wise yet childlike in his sense of wonder and discovery at hi .. Hollywood And Fine
2.0
Beginners is a heartfelt poem of grief, but its also a deeply affected motion picture that elects to neatly bag and catalog its every last emotion. Brian Or Ndorf
2.5
Plummer turns out to be nearly the only reason to see Beginners, which is on the whole an impossibly dreary film. Antagony & Ecstasy
5.0
The performances are near perfection, sublimely nuanced and deeply authentic.
3.8
Otherwise, it would be one depressing summer movie after another at the art house. Js Online
4.0
Not only do you run the risk of lacking a constant pace and confusing your viewers, but simply forcing them to think too much. Shockya
4.5
What a finely wrought, wryly funny, transcendently sad movie this is. Film Comment
4.0
But therein lies the films charm.Despite its complicated anatomy, Beginners comes together beautifully, mixing intimacy, laugh out loud humour and gen .. Sky
3.5
A deeply felt call to boldness in all its forms, whether its romantic, parental or septuagenarian love. Sbs
3.8
But this doesnt mean the movie is all surface value thrills and kicks.Mills frames the tale with enough melancholy and self reflection to give Beginne .. Scene Stealers
3.5
The biographical elements lend the script emotional realism, the performances, highly naturalistic, confer heft and while the fate of both, death and .. The Ooh Tray
3.0
Mills story is a deceptively simple one: Ewan McGregor plays Oliver, an introverted artist who pushes women and, increasingly, his own clients as far .. Or Lando Weekly
4.5
A better way to put it is that its never too late to live better. Streaming Quickflix
3.5
X Men: First Class launches its way onto the big screen reviving the comic book film franchise. Wsj
4.4
Tackling this material less like a horror flick and more like a slapstick comedy, Raimi lets the talented Campbell go wild, and the actors infectious, .. Clclt
3.0
The soap opera style plot is draped in heavy folds of sadness, but the acting rescues it.Barely. East Bay Express
1.5
Boy, Beginners was a movie I was hoping and planning to like.It had Christopher Plummer in a role that had to be tours de force and probably even Osca .. Tony Mack
5.0
Arthur might have stolen this one were it not for a cast that inspires you to empty out your bag of superlatives. Ny Mag
2.0
Filled to the brim with C level indie quirk thats too self absorbed to even bother to be funny. Film Blather
4.4
Life begins at death. A funny, engaging romantic dramedy about never being too late to find happiness. Cinema Sight
3.8
As it turns out, nothing drastic happens nor are they drowned in darkness, but Mills does evoke a mood of melancholy and poignance, and suggests with .. Boston Phoenix
4.0
And there still museums with pay what you wish admission, if not every day, then on certain days weekly or monthly.You just have to know who offers wh .. New York Time Out
3.0
Together Hal and Oliver welcome a new wave of life when they least expected it. Reel Talk Online
4.5
Hal manages to teach Oliver many life lessons about love even though its through the power of hindsight.Plummer doesnt have an Oscar. The Scorecard Review
4.5
But then it gradually overwhelms you, swallows you whole and leaves you spellbound and devastated. Cairo 360
4.5
Oliver says of his relationships: I dont believe they are going to work so I make sure they dont work. Spectator
3.0
Beginners finds life both ripe with possibility and ensnared in the past. But then every morning is a beginning, right If only we could remember that. Detroit News
4.0
Topping off the tender tale is the cutest on screen dog since Benji who provides unique insight into Olivers emotional maturation. Richard Crouse
4.4
The film is not about a straight mans struggle to understand how his father is gay; its about learning that happiness is always possible if youre brav .. Miami
2.3
This twee material infuriates to no end, freely swapping emotional honesty with cloying artifice. Movie Martyr
5.0
The article requested cannot be found!.Please refresh your browser or go back. Ny Press
3.5
By Eleanor Ringel Cater Time to trash all the Captain von Trapp jokes.And Im not just talking about movie lovers. Saportare Port
2.5
... the humans in Beginners never shape up into idiosyncratic, flesh and blood folks who get under our skin and engage our deepest emotions. MSN Movies
4.0
Beginners greatest gift is its tremendous charm that just skirts the edges of being precious or schmaltzy. The Diva Review
3.0
Tenderly told and exquisitely performed, this is a gentle wonder, with characters we root for and emotions we believe in. Movie Mom
3.0
A wonderful pastiche and parody of crime films where Provost draws attention to how film style manipulates audience expectations, while still being co .. Cinema Autopsy
3.8
And we might carefully acknowledge their rougher edges, the ways they tested our patience but well wince if anyone blurts out words of criticism or ju .. Looking Closer
3.0
Withthe writer director Mike Mills takes a deeply personal episode of his life and alchemizes it into an absorbing, funny and poignant story about lov .. Blog Oregonlive
2.0
McGregor remains a likeable screen presence but, yet again, he seems to be in a never ending search for a good script and a big hit. Birmingham Mail
1.5
The director doesnt seem to understand that twee is not a compliment. Nashville Scene
4.0
And if this as some are suggesting is style over substance filmmaking, then I dont think my tear ducts could handle substance over style. Ultra Culture
4.0
No worries: better to have loved and shared than never to have loved at all. James Wegg Review
2.5
Write what you know, the standard advice goes, and filmmaker Mike Mills (Thumbsucker ) knew he had a compelling family story to tell. Dallas News
3.5
One can only regret this writer directors decision to cram so much material into the mix that some fine understated performances, and much of the film .. Bfi
4.0
Watching his parents passionless marriage has made Oliver commitment phobic.
4.0
Somber, winsome, silly, vibrant and delightfully inventive, Beginners is one hell of a rewarding movie. Windy City Media Group
4.0
Mike Mills has taken a particularly confusing and painful part of his own life and turned it into a moving expression of acceptance, compromise, and t .. Franks Reel Reviews
3.0
Engages the ambiguous and contradictory building blocks of human existence with wisdom, wit and thoughtful humility. Projection Booth Blog Spot ..
3.0
The sort of movie you never really stop wanting to love, even as it flits about and tests the boundaries of your attention. Warm, full of life and tid .. Shared Darkness
3.0
In fact, I might argue that it understands death better than it understands life; it understands memories more than it understands what to learn from .. Yahoo Movies
3.0
(Review included within an interview with writer director Mike Mills.) Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor...deliver excellent performances. A touch .. Movie Dearest Blog Spot
4.5
The result is a ton of laughter, tears, a surprising out of character performance by Goran Visnjic as Plummers boyfriend, and an adorable canine with ..
3.5
McGregor and Plummer offer up two perfectly weighted, occasionally humorous and often heartbreaking performances. Moviedex
4.5
Beginners manages to charm despite a tendency toward art house cuddliness. Charleston City Paper
5.0
Sweet moments of subtle comedy and straightforward family drama mix perfectly with Mike Mills trademark artfulness in Beginners.
4.0
There is a sense of captivating innocence ... that gives Beginners a refreshing vitality and sense of hope amidst a challenging story of embracing cha .. Real.com
1.5
Virtually every moment of introspective tenderness mustered up by this trio ends up undermined by Mills super precious execution. Cinematical
1.5
Mills needs to look up from the lint thats collected in his navel. The Improper Bostonian
4.5
Mills... gives the film a celebratory passion in the quiet closeness of father and son and the playful first person storytelling...
5.0
No one vocalizes it but you could easily lift a voiceover from one film to another. Towle Road



See Where to Watch Beginners