--- title: "A Working Man: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/a-working-man/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/a-working-man" critics_score: 43 critics_reviews: 21 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # A Working Man (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 43 from 21 reviews: 2 positive, 7 mixed, 12 negative. Most critics find A Working Man a familiar, disappointing action vehicle, though Jason Statham’s screen presence earns praise even in several unfavourable reviews. His physical assurance and menace remain dependable attractions, with some critics also finding welcome humour and vulnerability in his performance. Supporting performances provide further relief: David Harbour’s amusing turn and Arianna Rivas’s ability to give Jenny some personality draw repeated approval. The reservations centre on predictable plotting, repetition and a solemn tone that makes the absurdity harder to enjoy. Several reviews find the film overlong, while the fights divide critics between those who enjoy their blunt force and those who find them flat or unimaginative. The spread is wide. Vulture offers the clearest dissent, celebrating the imaginative violence and unexpected feeling; The Hollywood Reporter finds the formula effective despite its length. Elsewhere, occasional comic flourishes rarely compensate for the familiar storytelling. ## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2025. Ebiri finds the film an exuberant, visually enchanting celebration of action, with a more emotional undercurrent than expected. He especially praises Jason Statham’s comic, menacing screen presence and the film’s imaginative, fairy-tale-like violence. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-can-fix-us.html) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. Scheck finds the actioner formulaic but effective, with some repetitiveness and an overlong runtime. He singles out Jason Statham’s simmering charisma and David Harbour’s distinctive, amusing performance as highlights. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-david-ayer-1236172428/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint are unavailable. The URL identifies a review of the specified film. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/a-working-man-jason-statham-movie-review-2025) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page appears to be a review of the specified film, but its text is inaccessible. Its verdict and any specific praise or criticism cannot be determined. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/movies/a-working-man-review.html) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating C+. 26 March 2025. Ehrlich finds the film absurd, sloppy action schlock that nonetheless works as a vehicle for Jason Statham’s screen persona. He praises the colorful supporting cast and the softer, more vulnerable dimension of Statham’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-1235111185/) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. Grierson describes the film as a workmanlike actioner, suggesting a competent but unexceptional verdict. The headline foregrounds Statham’s action performance, while the standfirst notes Stallone’s co-writing credit. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-trades-blows-for-producer-sylvester-stallone/5203309.article) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Rating 2/2/1. 26 March 2025. Strong dismisses the film as a forgettable, humourless action slog. She singles out its baffling human-trafficking plot and repetitive violence as evidence of its weak storytelling. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/a-working-man) ## Radio Times — Terry Staunton Rating 2/5. The critic calls it a pedestrian, overlong thriller. They fault its predictable plotting and unimaginative action choreography. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-9aiqiz/a-working-man) ## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith Rating 1.5/4. 26 March 2025. Smith argues the film is a monotonous, politically retrograde entry that fails to stand out among revenge films. He criticizes its treatment of PTSD and praises occasional flashes of camp and humor. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-david-ayer/) ## Los Angeles Times — Amy Nicholson Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2025. Nicholson finds the film an uneven mix of solemnity and outlandish visual quirks, with its construction-worker premise quickly giving way to familiar special-ops violence. She praises Arianna Rivas for giving the kidnapped Jenny an active role and playing the improbable character with aplomb. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-03-27/working-man-review-jason-statham-david-ayre-michael-pena) ## The Guardian — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 30 March 2025. Ide finds the film’s action entertaining but says its humor is buried beneath an overly serious tone. She particularly faults the ponderous dialogue and David Ayer’s portentous direction. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/30/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-levon-cade-david-ayer) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. Debruge calls the film a competently made but forgettable rehash that relies on familiar vigilante-action formulas. He singles out Statham’s physicality and quick thinking as effective within that routine setup. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-1236348233/) ## The AV Club — Brianna Zigler Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. Zigler finds the film tiresome, overlong, and too predictable to deliver the dumb fun it seems to promise. She singles out occasional absurd comic moments and satisfying fight choreography as brief bright spots. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-working-man-review) ## Time Out — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2025. The review is strongly negative, calling the action thriller dopey and weighed down by clichés. It singles out the film’s chopped-up storytelling and familiar action-movie tropes as weaknesses. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/a-working-man-review-2025) ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. The critic finds the film witless, tedious, and devoid of fun. Statham remains convincing on screen, but the flat action and frantic editing undermine the experience. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/working-man/) ## Eye for Film — Andrew Robertson Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 2 May 2025. Robertson finds the film more enjoyable and less regressive than its source novel, though it remains a derivative action picture. He praises Arianna Rivas for turning the missing-girl character into a person, while finding much of the action pedestrian. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/a-working-man-2025-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. Hammond finds the film a familiar, tightly paced Statham action vehicle with little depth, but says the star remains eminently watchable. He praises David Harbour’s brief change of pace as Gunny and notes that newcomer Arianna Rivas does well as Jenny. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/03/a-working-man-review-jason-statham-russian-mob-violent-action-vehicle-1236351380/) ## /Film — Jeremy Mathai Rating 5 out of 10. 26 March 2025. The critic finds the film a disappointing, generic action movie that falls short of its potential. They praise David Harbour’s brief supporting turn and the film’s gonzo final act for bringing welcome warmth and levity. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1819749/a-working-man-jason-statham-movie-review/) ## HeyUGuys Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). The critic finds the film entertaining for fans of blunt action but ultimately hollow and lacking substance. The raw fight choreography earns praise, while the screenplay’s tough-guy dialogue is singled out for ridicule. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/a-working-man-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 28 March 2025. The critic finds the film formulaic and less entertaining than its predecessor. They praise the costumes and Michael Peña’s presence, while faulting the pacing and familiar action-story beats. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/a-working-man-review-jason-statham/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 26 March 2025. The review finds the thriller dull, overlong, and tonally unconvincing, with its convoluted mob subplot dragging down the story. It praises the entertaining finale, where Statham’s action finally livens things up. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a64272242/a-working-man-review-jason-statham/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/a-working-man.md