Critics’ reviews

Idiots (2026)

9 reviews from 9 publications. Critics’ score 59: 5 positive, 2 mixed, 2 negative.

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59
Positive
5
Mixed
2
Negative
2

Most critics take Idiots for what it offers: a foul-mouthed buddy road comedy in the raunchy 2000s mould, with a kidnapping plot, drugs, strippers and a gun-toting rapper. The reviews lean positive, and the praise clusters on the two leads. O’Shea Jackson Jr. and Dave Franco are credited with the chemistry that keeps the thing moving, and several reviews reach for the Coen brothers as the model for the anarchy.

The spread is wide. Two reviews find the film slack and thin, with characters who have no backstory or motive and set-ups that exist mainly for mugging. Others accept the shagginess but object to a tonal shift midway, when the teenage character turns monstrous and the comedy goes somewhere darker than it can handle; The Wrap says it never recovers its identity. /Film dissents the other way, calling it one of the year’s best comedies and singling out Mason Thames for making the laughs unsettling on purpose.

The Guardian
27 August 2026
70*

The critic finds it an entertaining throwback to raunchy 2000s bro comedies with infectious cast chemistry and standout gags, though it becomes muddled toward the end and struggles to resolve its loose ends.

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The New York Times
27 August 2026 · Calum Marsh
70*

The critic finds Blair's follow-up a goofy, foul-mouthed road movie and kidnapping caper that draws heavily from the Coen brothers' Burn After Reading. It follows two inept odd-couple drivers entangled in an over-the-top plot with drugs, strippers, and a gun-toting rapper.

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The AV Club
27 August 2026 · C · Matt Schimkowitz
57

The frenetic R-rated comedy moves at a chaotic clip but strains to find meaning in its shades of stupidity and lacks depth for its characters. Charisma from the leads only carries it so far before contrived situations take over.

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IndieWire
26 August 2026 · David Ehrlich
30*

The critic finds the road-trip comedy uneven and unable to live up to its strongest moments despite solid performances. It merges influences like The Last Detail and Road Trip but fails to carve out its own lane.

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Slant Magazine
24 August 2026 · Charles Lyons-Burt
30*

The low-effort buddy road comedy about low-effort people struggles to clear even a low bar for idle amusement, with slack scenes and threadbare execution. The characters lack backstory or motivation, and absurd encounters feel like excuses for mugging.

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/Film
28 August 2026 · BJ Colangelo
90*

The critic calls it one of the best comedies of 2026 and praises its tonal whiplash that blends road-trip buddy comedy with unflinching social commentary on wealth and accountability. They single out Mason Thames' performance as the villainous teen Sheridan for making the laughs deeply unsettling and recontextualizing the story.

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Deadline
24 January 2026 · festival review · Damon Wise
80*

The critic calls it an endearing buddy movie and goofily violent stoner romp full of surprises, comparing it favorably to Coen brothers-style anarchy and Dumb and Dumber meets Midnight Run. They single out the excellent casting, particularly O'Shea Jackson Jr. and Dave Franco as the sad-sack leads, and the organic shaggy-dog storytelling with social commentary.

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Collider
2 February 2026 · 7/10 · Ross Bonaime
70

The critic finds it a hilarious but uneven road trip comedy that benefits from Blair's dark style and strong performances from the leads, but is hurt by some overly dark tangents that disrupt the tone.

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The Wrap
25 January 2026 · festival review
45*

The critic finds the film starts as a fun, mind-rotted stoner comedy with strong odd-couple chemistry between the leads but suffers a damaging tonal shift midway when the teen character turns monstrous, leaving a sour taste and unfulfilled arc. They praise the backwoods weirdness and some performances but note it never fully recovers its identity.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate