Hitchcock (2012)

The critic finds the docudrama lively and engaging despite its workmanlike direction and formulaic storytelling. He singles out Hopkins’s performance and an ecstatic late scene in which Hitchcock conducts a famous set piece.

The review finds the film engaging but ultimately weakened by its detour into marital drama. It praises Anthony Hopkins’s vivid, likable performance as Hitchcock.

The critic finds the film clever and witty, though its middle section sags. Hopkins and Mirren’s performances are singled out as what makes it live and breathe.

McCarthy finds the film absorbing, entertaining, and lively despite some dramatic ups and downs. He especially praises the dryly witty exchanges between Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren, which bring the Hitchcock marriage’s tensions and affection to life.

The page frames the piece as a review comparing Hitchcock and The Girl. Its accessible text does not reveal the critic’s verdict or a specific point of praise or complaint.

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. No specific praise or complaint is visible beyond the film’s identification and metadata.

Ebert found the film entertaining but limited as a portrait of Hitchcock. He singled out the performances of Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren as a strength.

The accessible page identifies this as a three-star review, but its verdict is unavailable in the page text. The description highlights Hitchcock’s gamble on making a horror film that Hollywood considered toxic.

Tobias finds the film uneven, arguing that its focus on Hitchcock’s domestic life distracts from the more compelling story of making Psycho. He praises the scenes of Hitchcock asserting his creative vision, especially the playful depiction of him anticipating and manipulating audience reactions.

The critic finds the biopic middling, glib, and psychologically stilted. They praise the intense scenes linking Hitchcock with Ed Gein, but fault the film’s lack of cohesive visual style and ambition.

The review finds the film agreeably comic but ultimately shallow. It praises Anthony Hopkins’s playful portrayal of Hitchcock as a stubborn, wisecracking teddy bear.

Nathan finds the film brisk and entertaining in places but ultimately shallow and unconvincing. He praises Scarlett Johansson’s performance as Janet Leigh, while faulting the film’s surface-level portrayal of Hitchcock and his creative life.

Chang finds the film diverting but dramatically shallow, with little insight into Hitchcock or the making of Psycho. He praises Helen Mirren’s nuanced performance as Alma, while faulting the film’s superficial treatment of its subject.

Turan finds the film listless and its central marriage uninteresting, with little reason to care about the characters’ predicaments. He praises Scarlett Johansson’s performance as Janet Leigh and the period Hollywood cameos as bright spots.

The critic finds the film banal, predictable and phoney, unable to compete with Hitchcock’s own work. Helen Mirren’s formidable performance stands out, while the critic particularly objects to the corny romantic reconciliation.

The critic finds the film a colossal failure, arguing that it reduces Hitchcock’s life and the making of Psycho to superficial, tidy explanations. He singles out the shower-scene sequence as especially risible for conflating Hitchcock’s personal insecurities with his filmmaking.

The review finds the film tremendously enjoyable despite uneven elements. It praises Anthony Hopkins’s layered performance and Helen Mirren’s portrayal of Alma as the film’s heart.

Crow finds the film enjoyable but lacking suspense, with its drama often feeling contrived. He singles out Hopkins and Mirren’s lively performances and their sparring as its strongest feature.

The critic finds the film enjoyable despite judging it not especially good. Hopkins and Mirren’s energetic, playful performances are singled out for giving it a lively jolt.

The critic finds the film watchable but uneven, with its characters and relationships insufficiently explored. The Psycho recreation and Hopkins and Mirren’s performances stand out, while the Ed Gein framing device is faulted.

The review calls the film breezy but disposable, with the performances keeping it afloat. It singles out Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren for their dedicated work.

Goldberg finds the film an unconvincing, predictable marriage drama that fails to make the making of Psycho compelling. He praises Helen Mirren’s performance and the moments when the leads’ offbeat qualities emerge.