--- title: "Network: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/network/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/network" critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 15 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." --- # Network (1976): what the critics said Critics' score 79 from 15 reviews: 13 positive, 0 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics admire Network’s angry, darkly funny account of television news becoming ratings-driven entertainment, and repeatedly credit it with anticipating later media habits. Praise centres on Paddy Chayefsky’s sharp dialogue and the performances, especially Peter Finch’s Howard Beale and Faye Dunaway, with William Holden also singled out. Sidney Lumet’s direction earns approval for keeping the material forceful, while many reviews find the film’s account of corporate control and sensationalism persistently relevant. The spread is wide despite the strongly positive majority: even sympathetic reviews question the script’s reach or suggest that reality catching up has reduced its shock value. The sharpest dissent comes from Sight and Sound, which finds the satire incoherent and too close to the television it attacks, and Time Out, which regards the script as hollow and the direction as unable to contain its sprawl. The central disagreement concerns whether the film’s fury remains incisive or becomes exhausting. ## Radio Times — Calum Baker Rating 5/5. The critic calls it one of the defining American films of the 1970s, a satirical drama that anticipated developments in news, reality TV and social media while remaining damn funny. Strong performances and literate screenplay are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-8ywq5v/network/) ## The Times Rating ★★★★★. 28 June 2024. The review calls it the original and best newsroom drama, a thrilling and flawless prescient satire with fizzing performances from the cast, especially noting the clash between old and new Hollywood styles and the sharp screwball dialogue. It highlights the film's enduring relevance and exemplary script. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/network-1976-review-7058g26lc) ## Little White Lies — Edward Cripps Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 November 2016. The critic praises the film's prophetic black satire on media corruption, ratings-driven sensationalism, and the convergence of news, reality TV and politics. It highlights sharp performances, especially Dunaway's, and its enduring influence on later works. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/in-praise-of/network-fake-news-donald-trump) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 26 June 2024. The critic praises this 1976 satire as a terrifically well-made, well-written classic that remains relevant, highlighting its sharp take on TV news as corrupt entertainment and Peter Finch's uproarious performance as the unhinged anchor Howard Beale. It singles out the film's mix of satire, heartfelt moments, and prescient anatomy of American discontent for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/jun/26/network-review-terrific-1976-news-satire-peter-finch-donald-trump) ## Variety — A.D. Murphy Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 October 1976. Paddy Chayefsky's script about media running amok is absurdly plausible and outrageously provocative, delivered through superb performances and outstanding direction by Sidney Lumet. The result is a potent commercial blend of artful tirade, visual excitement, and sociological horror that shakes up the viewer. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1976/film/reviews/network-1200423798/) ## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 13 February 2026. The review describes Network as a darkly humorous and relevant treatise on capitalism’s erosion of morality that remains prescient half a century later. It singles out the film's self-reflexive examination of television’s real-world ramifications and how it captures the hypnotic pull of media over principled individuals. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/network-4k-uhd-blu-ray-review-sidney-lumet/) ## Empire — Colin Kennedy Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2011. The critic notes that Network is typical of the cool intelligence of '70s American cinema and praises its prescient vision of news-as-entertainment, along with strong performances especially by Faye Dunaway. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/network-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Arthur Knight Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 12 October 1976. The critic calls the film the most provocative and abrasive since All the President's Men, praising its sharp satire on corporate control of television and strong ensemble performances, especially by Peter Finch, William Holden, and Faye Dunaway. He singles out the chilling corporate power scene and the film's ability to stand on its own despite some flaws. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/network-review-1976-movie-932441/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 1976. The film starts as a sharp indictment of television's obsession with ratings but ultimately tries to tackle too many social ills of the 1970s, resulting in a flawed but rich and interesting movie. Lumet's taut direction and the strong performances, especially by Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway, and William Holden, make it memorable despite loose ends. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/network-1976) ## Sight and Sound — David Thomson Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 25 June 2024. The critic views the film as a furious and incoherent tangle that mimics the TV it satirizes, rendering it vicious yet feeble and without detachment or remedy. Isolated scenes are funny or lunatic, but overall the script and direction create a satire lacking hope or true pain. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/it-itself-very-like-tv-monster-it-mocks-network-reviewed-1977) ## Time Out — CPe Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The critic finds the film slick and self-congratulatory but ultimately hollow, with a desperate, bilious script that fails to deliver and direction unable to contain its sprawl. Interest lies mainly in watching the vehicle derail spectacularly. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/network-1) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating A. 9 April 2012. The review calls it a scabrous satire on television turning news into infotainment that once seemed shocking but now feels quaint because reality has caught up, making it horrifying rather than funny. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/essentials-films-of-sidney-lumet-a-retrospective-20120409/4/) ## Collider — Cathal McGuinness Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 11 August 2024. The critic praises Network as a prophetic satire on media manipulation and exploitation that remains highly relevant today, highlighting the brilliant screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky and standout performances, especially Peter Finch's. [Read the review](https://collider.com/network-1976-movie/) ## The Ringer — Sean Fennessey Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 8 November 2016. The critic examines how Network predicted the corporatization of news media and the rise of sensationalism, drawing parallels to contemporary events like the 2016 election and Donald Trump's rise, emphasizing its enduring satirical power. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2016/11/08/movies/how-network-predicted-everything-dc7c17e61b47) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 2 June 2018. Festival review. The critic praises the intense performances by Peter Finch and Faye Dunaway as the film explores the shift of news toward sensation and entertainment. It notes the film's prescience has reduced its shock value today, though it remains entertaining and credits its accuracy. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/network-1976-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © 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/network.md