The Critic Parent Guide

He’s known as “The Beast”. Drama critic for The Chronicle, Jimmy Erskine (Sir Ian McKellan) has spent four decades wielding his pen, savaging actors and directors with vicious wit. His condemnation can cut a play’s run; his praise can be a launchpad to stardom.

Erskine’s comfortable life is threatened when The Chronicle’s publisher dies and is succeeded by his son, Lord Brooke (Mark Strong). The new publisher is determined to cut costs and rein in excesses. Erskine – with his lavish lunches, over-the-top reviews, and predilection for gay sex in public parks – is an obvious target. When Brooke bails Erskine out of prison for homosexuality, he gives the critic thirty days’ notice.

Not one to go quietly, Erskine sets a trap. He gives a struggling actress, Nina Land (Gemma Arterton), an offer she literally can’t refuse, and sends her off to bring down Lord Brooke. The scheme sets in play a cascading series of betrayals, blackmail, devastation, and death…

Let me be clear, The Critic is not a tragedy at the level of Shakespeare or the ancient Greeks. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t powerful. Yes, the plot’s twists and turns are often predictable, but, oh my goodness, the cast delivers such genuine emotion that this film has more weight than expected from the script alone. Jimmy Erskine is no tragic hero (there’s nothing heroic about him), but he is definitely a tragic figure, driven by greed and selfishness into darkness he does not foresee. Ian McKellan’s compelling performance as a narcissistic anti-hero does not disappoint. And Mark Strong plays Lord Brooke with a gentle touch that makes his heartbreak and despair all the more agonizing. Gemma Arterton, too, persuasively shows the dimming of her light as her character is pushed beyond her moral beliefs and is consumed by self-doubt, self-loathing, and regret. Yet again, the depth of England’s acting bench is on full display, as Ben Barnes, Romola Garai, and Lesley Manville light up the screen in smaller roles. With smooth music and glorious 1930s wardrobes in the mix, this is a film that looks good.

Given the Machiavellian nature of its plot, it’s not surprising that The Critic comes in at a Restricted rating. However, on the scale of negative content, it’s comparably light. Yes, adultery and homosexuality are plot points, but there is no graphic on-screen material. And, yes, murder and suicide are in the story, but they also take place off screen. Repeated scenes of drunkenness and seven sexual expletives also drive the R-rating, but again, at much lower levels than in most Restricted films. This isn’t a family movie – deceit, adultery, and murder aren’t kid friendly topics - but it’s one of the softer R-rated films I’ve seen lately.

As for target audiences, The Critic is geared at adults with a fondness for character dramas and period stories. Viewers devoted to England’s great thespians will also find their way to this film. It might or might not make you tear up, but it will definitely impress you with the talent of its cast. At least it did, for this hard-hearted critic at any rate.