57
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83Entertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanEntertainment WeeklyOwen GleibermanThere's an unconvincing last-act twist, but this is the movie "Little Children" wanted to be.
- 80VarietyRonnie ScheibVarietyRonnie ScheibSharp dialogue, idiosyncratic characters and a wickedly brilliant structure that subtly derails expectation make Laura Smiles a rarity among mellers.
- 80L.A. WeeklyScott FoundasL.A. WeeklyScott FoundasIt casts an increasingly hypnotic spell, thanks in no small measure to Wright -- a fearless actress (and the real-life wife of writer-director Ruscio) who brings this sometimes despicable, often heartbreaking character to life with every atom of her being.
- 75New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoRuscio's script is grim and darkly funny, but the big attraction is Wright's right-on performance. She's an actress waiting to be discovered.
- 75TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghWright's haunting performance is the anchor that keeps Ruscio's film from vanishing down a rabbit hole.
- Part domestic drama, part thriller, the microbudget shot-on-video feature Laura Smiles is so ambitious that its ultimate failure is more depressing than anything in its dark script.
- As Ruscio piles it on, he gets himself further and further away from any sense of genuine emotional truth.
- 38New York Daily NewsJack MathewsNew York Daily NewsJack MathewsIt's an interesting profile in self-destruction until the script becomes unhinged itself and has Laura doing things that are not so much outrageous as hilariously stupid.
- 30Village VoiceVillage VoiceStylish, low-budget indies thrive on redeeming the clichés of everyday life. But that takes smart writing and sharp humor, of which Laura Smiles has none.