Concussion 2013

Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly: The ending's a vague cop-out, but the movie is much smarter and more nuanced than the late-night-Cinemax setup suggests. Read more

Nicolas Rapold, New York Times: Ms. Passon ultimately seems to skirt some of the larger life questions hinted at along the way. Read more

Rob Nelson, Variety: Shot as if they were ads for high-thread-count bed sheets, the pic's talky afternoon delights remain more flowery than erotic. Read more

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, AV Club: The viewer is presented with a series of caustic, vignette-like scenes which tease bigger themes but end before they can tackle them ... Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: Unfortunately, Passon can't seem to figure out her own protagonist; there are plenty of sexual climaxes here but not much of a narrative one. Read more

Daniel Walber, Film.com: Passon's portrayal of sexuality is not so much fluid as it is open, a frankly refreshing way of seeing. Read more

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: Solid relationship drama centers on an unsympathetic lead. Read more

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: It is Weigert's performance that gives the film its mystery and charge. Playing seriously with identity, she draws the viewer ever closer. The way she never reveals everything is electrifying. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: For all that could be said of why this character chooses this path - of what this says, or she thinks it says, about control, or submission, or transgressiveness - the movie says nothing. Read more

Michael Sragow, Orange County Register: [Weigert] and Passon team up to create an indelible portrait of a woman who may always be a work in progress. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: If you're looking for a marriage movie that's friendly, upbeat and reassuring, I suggest you keep on looking; if you want a startling debut film that merits comparison with Ingmar Bergman, Woody Allen and Nicole Holofcener, here it is. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: This might sound, at the very least, titillating, but "Concussion" is anything but. Read more

Bruce Demara, Toronto Star: An engrossing meditation on modern alienation and the ways we cope when we discover something missing in our lives. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: It's hard not to think about Last Tango in Paris, The Stepford Wives, Belle de Jour and Jeanne Dielmann as we experience Abby's spiritual and sensual reawakening. Read more

Tom Huddleston, Time Out: The suggestion that prostitution is a risk-free route to self-discovery for suburban soccer moms is glib bordering on offensive, but Robin Weigert is tough and terrific in the lead. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: The ambitions of writer-director Stacie Passon's plot feel too tame, revving up to a scene of shame rather than radical revision. The Kids Are All Right pushed similar material to more affecting ends. Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: Quickly devolves into a series of unconvincing scenes in service to an outlandish premise. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: It's on the dull side, despite a fair amount of tasteful, non-explicit sex. Read more