What They Had

  • 2018


MOVIE IS complicated effective naturalistic sensitive skeptical
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66 %
88 % Certified Fresh
$ 0 Million
See Where to Watch What They Had
Positive Reviews 84
Negative reviews 16
Average Rating 3.5/5
complicated effective naturalistic sensitive skeptical

  • All
  • Positive
  • Negative
2.0
I just wish that this particular tearjerker jerked its tears with something subtler than a crowbar. EW
4.4
Despite all we stand to loose in our old age, may we all be so lucky to have memories worth fighting to hold onto. Rogerebert
4.0
While its still not an easy subject to digest, What They Had is ultimately a great big messy hug of a movie. Common Sense Media
4.0
Danner is very good as the subject of all this fuss, with moments of clarity surfacing like oases in a mind now mostly locked in the distant past. Variety
3.0
The script, inspired by Chomkos grandparents marriage, throws up plenty of authentic looking observations of life with Alzheimers. The Guardian
3.1
A 10 minute walk north of Potsdamer Platz, the center of the film festival, is the powerful Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, and a 10 minute w ..
3.1
If the characterization of Ruth is facile, its less so than the storys final chapter.
3.0
Ive certainly experienced it before; theres an elephant in the room that someone is bound to bring up at every family get together. Collider
4.5
And Forster is a true bulldozer in every seen hes in, a quality that well suits the character hes playing. Collider
4.0
Theres raw power in Chomkos writing, but so much scrupulousness and craft that you feel safe when the time comes to weep. Vulture
3.0
Swanks performance is effective, but Bridgets pained earnest quality gets a little tiresome. The Hollywood Reporter
3.0
Too many characters, who all have problems that need solving, stretch the limits of the story and push it beyond its comfort zone.
2.0
Even so, it requires all their considerable skills to stop this soapy family drama from sliding into complete banality. The New York Times
2.0
It is, of course, easier said than done as Korean War vet Bert is a hard no.
4.0
Perhaps the best indication of credibility is the surprising amount of humor there is to be found in this fateful tale. The Young Folks
5.0
The gem like script was inspired by Chomkos grandparents love story; polished at the Sundance writing program; and won the Academy of Motion Pictures .. The Globe And Mail
3.8
The Globes guide to TIFF 2018 movies We watched them and rated them, now read all about them. The Globe And Mail
5.0
Tears in Gods Bottle: Reflections on Alzheimers Caregiving by Wayne Ewing provides keen insights into the power of prayer and the purgative value of s .. Spirituality And Practice
3.0
Alzheimers is a difficult subject to deal with dramatically, and its remarkable that the filmmakers who have tackled it thus far have succeeded in tre .. One Guys Opinion
1.9
And try to ignore how cute Movie Dementia always is when compared to the real thing.Danner is adorably daft, if not quite problematically so. Rogers Movie Nation
3.2
I felt I did my due diligence to plow through it once, but would not see it again for all the free buttered popcorn in the world. Sover
1.5
This middling snoozefest demonstrates that good performances, a plausible story line, and relatable emotional content are not enough to make a movie i .. Chicago Reader
4.4
Thats another thing that stories about illness dont usually grasp or bother to portraythat a loved ones illness doesnt stop the world from moving.Life .. Mark Reviews Movies
2.0
What They Had has its heart in the right place and should touch yours.
3.0
It didnt hit quite the way they wanted it to...overall, still a well made film and the performances are worth watching. You Tube
3.0
This movie is very bleak for the most part, and none of the characters is very appealing, but the film ends on a bit of an up note, so it isnt totally .. Lariat
4.0
For all its comic punch, this captivating film resonates with a sadness and sympathy that cross generational barriers.Movies this rich in observationa .. Rolling Stone
3.5
The powerhouse cast and writer director Elizabeth Chomkos sensitive approach make it both cinematic and warmly involving. Shadows On The Wall
2.0
Chomko doesnt drag on a scene longer than it should be; theres an expediency to her storytelling that gets the point across without the film feeling r .. The Wrap
4.0
The inestimable and chronically mis or under used Robert Forster does it again swipes a flick from the entry level of a supporting character. Film Journal
3.5
It is the kind of movie that gets at the heart of what it means to be a family, especially when faced with difficult challenges, but lets be honest, i .. Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
4.0
The accumulation of years spent together does not add up to a fulfilling marriage.Twenty years of relative comfort isnt the same as enduring intimacy. Az Central
4.0
The mood is funny and sad but never mawkish, and Danner, clearly relishing the opportunity not to have to serve up yet another tastefully garbed mater .. Npr
3.5
Writer director Elizabeth Chomkos debut film is a simultaneously sharp and tender portrait of longstanding, interconnected family squabbles and hidden ..
4.4
Youre going to find yourself moved and occasionally amused in all the best ways. Toronto Star
3.8
What They Had benefits primarily from the outstanding performances by its central cast, particularly Michael Shannon. Q Network
4.0
Its a film that reminds us that the ties which bind can easily suffocate unless we find the strength to push back. Flim List
4.5
While the film is light on its feet and slickly entertaining, is that enough.The story basically ends up doing a loop, and Im not sure we gain much fr .. Film Inquiry
4.0
A Stand Out Debut In large part the film succeeds by its intelligent writing and the perfect cast. Film Inquiry
3.0
He doesnt understand why his father objects; perhaps hes simply never been in love. Eye For Film
3.0
Unfortunately, Elizabeth Chomkos melancholy script isnt worthy of the estimable ensemble effort. Susang Ranger
4.4
The intimacy and honesty of the family rapport, the razor sharp dialogue andmost unexpectedlyits deeply grounded humor keep the film and its slight an .. Observer
4.0
Not in a mean spirited way mind you, as What They Had deftly explores accepting a harsh reality by finding the humor in it. Flickering Myth
3.8
Amid the clank and calculation of the usual Hollywood machinery, a movie more attuned to the human heart of things such as What They Had deserves an a .. Chicago Tribune
2.5
The earnest but generic dialogue cant help but blunt the performances. Boston Globe
4.4
Sometimes its shockingly funny, uproarious laughter birthed from almost unimaginable trauma. Movie Freak
3.0
The characters feel like real people, and those people feel like a family. Detroit News
3.0
This is the kind of sentimental film that audiences wait for when they derisively call movies melodramatic, a film of considered emotions and earnest .. Consequence Of Sound
3.0
A well made movie with a cast of fine actors giving strong performances. Its a sensitive treatment of an important issue. And yet, in the end, it just .. Now Toronto
4.0
Indeed, the best thing about Elizabeth Chomkos moving, occasionally awkward Alzheimers drama WHAT THEY HAD is that it gives Forster his meatiest role .. Maki At The Movies
1.5
It had moments of truth in it, but I didnt think that as a film it was particularly effective. You Tube
3.0
Its honest and full of naturalistic performances from a very strong cast (Taissa Farmiga is very good as surly, uncommunicative granddaughter Emma) bu .. Raidió Teilifís Éireann
2.0
Danner is good approximating a woman in the throes of mental deterioration. Cleve Land
4.0
Yet the cast is exceptional, the performances are extraordinary, the writing and direction are heartfelt,.. Wsj
2.0
Its sad, but the surprise is in how good it makes you feel in the face of the thing that scares us most: watching our parents fade away and die.Its ne .. Patriot Ledger
3.5
Theres a welcome economy to her storytelling that keeps everything moving at a purposeful pace. Film
4.4
Blythe Danner does a remarkable job of conveying Ruths irreversible path into total memory loss without turning her into a movie of the week clich. Chicago Sun Times
3.5
But Chomko doesnt allow this to happen often, and youll find yourself laughing and crying in equal measure. Punch Drunk Critics
5.0
It is a supremely rewarding and memorable experience in every way. Dead Line
2.0
I felt I did my due diligence to plow through it once, but would not see it again for all the free buttered popcorn in the world. Dennis Schwartz Reviews
4.0
While the film is very much about a family deciding what to do, one can also look at it as Bridget coming of age later in life as an adult. Solzy At The Movies
3.8
2018 MIDDLEBURG FILM FESTIVAL: A look at any family in a film must be compelling enough to hold its audiences attention. Awards Circuit
3.0
Yet in the overcrowded field of indie dramas about intergenerational family struggles, What They Had feels inessential; it rarely rises to the level o .. Film Avclub
4.5
With less to work with than previous movie Alzheimers casesJudi Denchs Iris, Julianne Moores Still Alice, Julie Christies Away From Herare still the t .. Film Journal International ..
3.5
Where Chomkos script excels is the way it sketches out the family dynamic and all its ever moving, ever changing clockwork parts. National Post
4.5
Here, the combination of Chomkos pitch perfect dialogue and perhaps Hilary Swanks best performance of her career creates one of the most personal, mov .. Third Coast Review
3.0
Loss, loss, and loss are on the menu, and its a smorgasbord of talk. New City Film
3.0
What They Had fully supports its narrative weight in the performances.
2.5
What They Had is a movie about Alzheimers disease, and like most movies about Alzheimers, it goes a little soft on its audience.It makes the illness n .. Datebook Sfchronicle
5.0
What They Had throws a spotlight on a life altering experience for three generations faced with placing a loved one in a memory home or continuing to .. Wp Me
3.8
The screenplay smartly builds out this central conflict into a larger narrative covering a wider swath of this familys story. Am Ny
4.5
... has elicited fine performances from all of her principal cast. Film Ireland
4.5
One of the other reasons What They Had succeeds is the world beater roster that is its cast. Battleship Pretension
3.5
A story of Alzheimers and dysfunction that never dips into the easy sentimentality of many other family dramas. Richard Crouse
3.5
But the movie never feels less than fully lived in by a cast that couldnt be any better. Denerstein Unleashed Blog ..
3.8
Chomko deftly finds realistic humor in what is undeniably a tragic situation. She also perfectly casts the film, especially when it comes to Forster, .. Hollywood News
5.0
The sad thing is that hardly anyone is going to see the product of her pen or her direction, for the subject of age related dementia traditionally det .. Kdhx
4.0
In the old days say, the 20thCentury a movie like this would be circling the Oscars. Saportare Port
3.8
It all culminates on a beautifully moving grace note, one suggesting a cosmic order to the unpredictable and often bitter chaos of life. The Film File
3.0
Its a film with good intentions but that fails to take advantage of the acting strength of its cast.
4.0
If Nicky has stopped caring out of a need to survive, Bridget has gone in the exact opposite direction and started caring too much.Love is at the hear .. The Gate
4.4
Old age is out to get all of us eventually, and one hopes our loved ones have the understanding and wit to handle us the way writer director Elizabeth .. Movie Cricket
4.0
What They Had displays beauty by caring for each character and not being frightened by its narrative core.
4.4
The loss of that is a loss of us.When a film decides to tackle said subject, its rare that its detailed with such humor. 812 Film Reviews
3.5
lets her characters endure the painful reality that is recognizing the present day fate necessary to a future wherein they find the love Burt and Ruth .. Jaredmobarak
2.5
What They Had is a stubborn film. A family drama about Alzheimers, it is hard to recall if the disease is ever actually mentioned by name. Writer/dire ..
3.5
But as the three adults contemplate their future, theres a dawning realisation that new patterns may be needed. Hot Press
3.0
Its heartfelt, and generally thoughtful, but nonetheless awfully familiar. But that hardly matters when you have a cast like this. Daily Public
3.5
Elizabeth Chomkos film tackles family conflicts with nobility and sobriety.
2.5
This lack of any actual stakes for Ruth feels disingenuous and falsely comforting. High Def Digest
4.5
The siblings have a deep bond, but it doesnt keep them from bickering and it doesnt prevent old resentments from surfacing. Womens Voices For Change
4.5
What makes this such a moving family drama are the complicated characters that this talent cast creates, and the relationships between them it so effe .. We Are Movie Geeks
4.0
Filled with laughter and tears, love and anger, Elizabeth Chomko delivers one of the best films of the year. Movies With Mae
2.0
Much of this is a direct result of the strong performances of the ensemble cast.
4.0
One can say that it is incisive film from its apparent simplicity, which is magnified thanks to the excellent performances. La Nación (Costa Rica)
4.5
This dramas beats will feel familiar to most middle agers who face such decisions with their elderly parents. The one thing Chomko gets so right is ho .. Awfj
1.5
Pangs of authenticity fill Elizabeth Chomkos debut feature What They Had and with good reason. Awfj
2.0
Its a pleasure to see Hugh Jackman in a serious roleparticularly if you knew him only for The X men, Wolverine and Logan..One of Jackmans favorite quo .. Big Apple Reviews
4.5
Based on director Elizabeth Chomkos experience, What They Had is narrated with rawness and honesty that is accompanied by impeccable performances. Letras Libres
4.0
His character Nicky is angry all the time, swears way too often, and doesnt care about hurting peoples feelings. In The Seats
2.0
But the family squabbles jangle the nerves while not hitting on insights or memorable emotion. West Word
1.5
What They Had is well made. It simply doesnt stand out from the pack. The Movie Isle
4.5
Through a combination of drama and comedy we experience how a relationship of many years is completely erased by Alzheimers El Heraldo
4.5
Terrific performances and an authentic portrait of a heartbreaking illness mark the touching drama What They Had. Spirituality & Health



See Where to Watch What They Had