The Life of David Gale

  • 2003


MOVIE IS ridiculous entertaining ludicrous compelling overwrought
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58 %
19 % Rotten
$ 38 Million
See Where to Watch The Life of David Gale
Positive Reviews 24
Negative reviews 42
Average Rating 2.1/5
ridiculous entertaining ludicrous compelling overwrought

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
2.5
I wont give away the big twists, which grow more ludicrous by the minute, but I will reveal that The Life of David Gale is a self righteous mishmash t .. EW
0.0
I am sure the filmmakers believe their film is against the death penalty. I believe it supports it and hopes to discredit the opponents of the penalty .. Rogerebert
1.3
Which isnt to say that we dont form a relationship with these creatures.
1.5
Suffers from Parkers same overindulgence in making points at the expense of making stories.
0.6
It does for anti death penalty activism what Battlefield earth did for Scientology. E Film Critic
2.5
Worst of all, a movie that promised to make a cogent statement about capital punishment ends up delivering a muddled and even contradictory message. San Francisco Chronicle
3.5
The films far from perfect, but it was entertaining, engaged me throughout and offered up a nice dose of surprise, JoBlo
4.5
Alan Parker directs this suspenseful and thought provoking drama based on a screenplay by Charles Randolph. Spirituality And Practice
2.2
On the scales of cinematic justice, the pictures good intentions are outweighed by its heavy handed preachiness and its lurid approach. One Guys Opinion
3.8
The picture is neither flawless nor foolproof, but its smart and tight enough to keep audiences off balance and entertained for the running length. ReelViews
2.5
Weve heard the arguments before, and if youre passionate about this topic, its hard not to get ramped up. Combust Ible Celluloid
1.3
Its terribly manipulative, sensationalistic, and one sided, and it isnt going to change anyones mind on the topic. Mark Reviews Movies
2.8
Winslet is forced to react to script manipulations like a greyhound chasing a rabbit...Kevin Spacey once again chooses a role in which he can aspire t ..
2.5
Parker uses the same overbearing touch in David Gale that he did in Angelas Ashes and Mississippi Burning. Usa Today
2.8
The closest thing we get to emotionally gripping is Laura Linneys rather brave turn as Constance an interesting character who doesnt get enough chance .. Eric Ds Nider
2.0
Director Alan Parker pitches the melodrama on high boil, and his way of dealing with all the holes in Randolphs plot is to place huge, almost defiant .. News Review
2.0
Perhaps thats because hes played by Kevin Spacey (The Shipping News, K PAX) who has a way of portraying disarming credibleness. Screen It
2.0
And the adept cast make it compelling and very watchable (Linney is the standout, while Mann gives the films most disarmingly authentic performance). Shadows On The Wall
1.5
Its a bad sign when the supposedly ace investigative reporter is several steps behind the audience in figuring out the plot. Pop Matters
2.5
He seems better suited for crime dramas than for the sports movies (Bull Durham, Tin Cup) hes best known for. Cs Monitor
4.5
Audiences content with getting there as most of the fun and accepting the often preposterous contrivances of the mystery plot and its rococo conclusio .. Film Journal International ..
1.9
Even if there are some clearly talented people involved with a dramatic thriller, it doesnt mean you have to like it. Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
3.8
Glitzy, yes, challenging credibility, maybe, but nonetheless a clever thriller emerges from a political diatribe. Internet Reviews
3.8
A perfect film for a February opening, a time when viewers are less critical and happy to kick back and enjoy an old fashioned mystery/thriller. Internet Reviews
4.0
First, lets look at the debit side of the movie and, yes, theres a pretty big one. Mountain X
4.5
Well only take this heavy stuff if its popcorn y, if it doesnt tax the mind or spirit too much, if its fun: Please dont reveal the secret ending to yo ..
3.0
One to add to the list of recent films not worthy of Spaceys talents. Toronto Star
2.5
a serviceable thriller, albeit one with some serious logic gaps and narrative loopholes Q Network
0.5
Manages to offend the same people it seeks to defend with the most ridiculous and nonsensical endings that Ive ever seen. Cinema Crazed
1.5
Does Kevin Spacey have a weird secret Um, yeah, as always. But this death penalty fable is so overwrought, no one will care. Salon
1.5
But I dont like seeing the wonderful Kate Winslet look stupid, or the wonderful Laura Linney abase herself. Slate
3.0
But as the plot twists are ironed out for the revelatory finale, its clear that theres actually a lot less to this than meets the eye. Bbc
0.0
Bad movies are easy to make, but as this overheated and self defeating propaganda piece shows, it takes a genuinely talented group of people to come u .. Mr Brown Movies
3.8
A riveting mystery drama filled with absorbing writing and even better acting. The Movie Boy
2.0
Parkers tendency to smash through stories ends up being brutal on Spacey and Winslet. Calendar Live
2.8
cant quite get a grasp on this character or convey him with much of a flourish. Seattle Pi
1.5
Alan Parker cant make up his mind: for or against, left or right. Cnn
2.5
The Life of David Gale acts as its own executioner, injecting the very first scene with a lethal clich from which the film never recovers. Spliced Wire
0.0
The two words that kept springing into my mind were not smart movie but utter crap Movie Habit
0.0
Politicism is charted on a circle, and the extremes of both ends tend to meet at the bottom. Film Freak Central
1.5
The film is a polemic against the death penalty, which may be a reasonable position, but played out as a mystery/thriller its silly, and often embarra .. Boxoffice Magazine
2.8
Its difficult to care about Spaceys plight, mainly because his drunk, preachy character is so unlikable. E Online
1.5
Although Ive never before seen Winslet flounder like this, its Spacey who really needs help his desire to be St. Kevin is turning him into a joke. La Weekly
2.0
Worth seeing for Spacey and Linney but youll spend more time arguing about the finale than you will about the issue behind it. Raidió Teilifís Éireann
2.0
David Gale makes the good ol boy death penalty proponents look Neanderthal while inadvertently making their well meaning opposition look psychotic. Wh .. Kansas City
1.3
Sticky and awkward, the film doesnt start to roll until we meet David (Spacey). Ross Anthony
2.0
If theres a clich that Randolphs missed, I cant think what it is. Killer Movie Reviews
1.9
The Life of David Gale demonstrates why Hollywood liberals have such an awful reputation for being humorless, overbearing and self important. Sltrib
2.2
Ive seen many third rate exploitation B movies that had a better conceived script and put up a wiser argument for its cause. Dennis Schwartz Reviews
1.0
Turns out to be not much more than a high concept question padded out to feature length. Or Lando Weekly
2.8
Overwrought and over directed, The Life of David Gale has ideas worth considering, but its largest group of advocates will be the already converted. Guide Live
1.5
There are few things more depressing than a bad film about an important subject. The Life of David Gale takes it one step further: its a silly, ludicr .. Flip Side Archive
2.8
It raises big issues but isnt willing to deal with their implications. Film Blather
1.5
a strident, sometimes laughably illogical diatribe against the death penalty; whether you approve of capital punishment or not, after about an hour of .. James Sanford on Film
2.5
Research Request Service & Updates If you cant find who youre looking for, just let us know. Movie Eye
1.5
LThe Life of David Gale goes quietly into that good night during the doldrums of February, when studios discard their noble failures. . . IGN Movies
2.0
For someone like me, it seems that theres little to deter a person whos so irrational that they want to murder. Films Nobs
3.0
A by the numbers thriller made compelling by two complex characters wonderfully brought to life by Kevin Spacey and Laura Linney. Juicy Cerebellum
2.2
Makes simple sense while youre watching it, but can not hold up to the slightest bit of scrutiny after its ballyhooed twist is revealed. Eclipse Magazine
1.0
This Kevin Spacey/Kate Winslet death row drama has pretensions of grandeur and a script that would shame Nancy Drew. Net Flix
3.1
The Life of David Gale is gripping and has a good logical payoff. Director Alan Parker has done better but he couldve done a lot worse here. Fantastic A Daily
3.1
The very things that give the picture its entertainment value the suspenseful contrivances of the story are precisely what undermine its ostensible me .. Globe and Mail
2.5
Kate Winslet is Bitsy Bloom. If she cant save David Gale, she can always hook up with Superman. Movie Juice
3.5
While it wont win any awards, its mildly clever and entertaining...even while being a bit annoying. Wait to rent it. Supercala.com
3.0
As the mystery unravels, the movie builds to such a ludicrous crescendo, youll wish Keyser Soze did it. Citysearch
2.5
Its fine, even admirable, to make movies with a definite point of view but not if heavy handed opinion overwhelms the entertainment. Miami Herald
1.5
Promises an intelligent debate about capital punishment but delivers a predictable thriller, directed with stunning amateurishness by Alan Parker. eye WEEKLY
1.5
I ended up feeling sorry for Mr. Spacey, Ms. Winslet and Ms. Linney, so contrived was the foolishness in which they found themselves embroiled. Ny Observer
3.5
I was sorry when I learned that Michaels, the well known childrens hair cutting salon at Madison Avenue and 90th Street, went out of business recently .. Ny Observer
2.5
Its what youd expect, but not what youd hope for, from a February release. And its starting, alarmingly, to be what youd expect from a Kevin Spacey mo .. Arizona Daily Star
1.8
A half baked polemic wrapped around a procedural thriller, The Life of David Gale is meticulously researched fury delivered in bite size chocolates of .. Entertainment Today
1.3
The difference here is that Gale addresses death without bringing anything new or interesting to the discussion. It is shocking when it should be insi ..
2.8
If Parker were a professional wrestler, his nickname would be The Hammer, for his heavy handed touch. Journal News (Westchester, ..
0.6
... Parker lures you into the theater, but then you sit down and all he has waiting for you is a whoopee cushion. Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) ..
2.0
Spaceys typically solid acting cancels out Winslets overwrought airhead character. CinemaBlend
0.5
A movie that keeps telling you that you are supposed to respect it that fails miserably at almost ever turn.
1.5
It isnt long before we yearn to see David Gale as the poster boy for deserved capital punishment. Peterborough This Week



See Where to Watch The Life of David Gale