I Capture the Castle 2003

Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: A clear-headed, straightforward version of Dodie Smith's 1948 novel. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: Dollops on the usual romantic, family and class conflicts with a very heavy ladle, which pretty much smothers the whimsical mood Fywell strains so hard to attain. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: The filmmakers can't seem to unearth the novel's inherent lightheartedness and instead treat too many events with earnest seriousness, trampling the original story's lively spirit in heavy-handed drama. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: ... it's just a soap opera, and not a very good one. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: A classy English film that lovingly re-creates a teenage girl's coming of age in the 1930s. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: The evident affection that the filmmakers bear toward Smith's novel, and toward the odd, spirited people who inhabit it, gives the film a modest, hardworking appeal. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Neither conventionally told nor resolved, and able to make the most eccentric situations believable, I Capture the Castle is both an ordinary story and a special one -- and that, finally, is the secret of its success. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: With eloquent dialogue but scant smoldering passions, the mushy machinations nicely nudge director Tim Fywell's gentle little film. Read more

Vic Vogler, Denver Post: Never shies from indulging us and our desire for a gentle and generous world that doesn't slip into easy answers. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Smith's book is a charmer, but the keys to this Castle have been misplaced. Read more

Ray Conlogue, Globe and Mail: Beautifully filmed silliness, and fetchingly acted tweeness. Read more

Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News: A refreshingly mature look at first love and life's often-rough transitions. Read more

Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly: Wise and moving adaptation of Dodie Smith's beloved 1948 novel. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: It may be best to think of I Capture the Castle as a kind of comfy chair with a few frayed edges and telltale leaks in its upholstery. Perfect furniture, in other words, for a lazy summer afternoon. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: It never talks down to its teenage characters, or exploits them for easy jokes; it never panders to them, either. Read more

Jami Bernard, New York Daily News: A sweet, lovely, if perhaps overlong movie. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: It would be fun to be a member of the Mortmain family -- maybe the younger brother, who shows every sign of growing up to be Harry Potter. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: A quiet, charming picture (if not a dazzling one) that's true in spirit to its source material. Read more

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle: A delightful coming-of-age movie that teeters on contrivance but never topples. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star: A compelling and emotionally rich coming-of-age drama. Read more

Geoff Andrew, Time Out: Read more

Andy Klein, Variety: Read more

Jessica Winter, Village Voice: Sweet and sleepy, I Capture the Castle might feel most comfortable in a Sunday-afternoon slot on the BBC: The humor is gentle and broad, the camerawork awkward, the landscape pastoral. Read more