Song One 2014

Mary Houlihan, Chicago Sun-Times: There are no real surprises here, just lives played out quietly and succinctly under the seductive spell of music. Read more

Sara Stewart, New York Post: Captures a similar, unselfconscious beauty in the way music can make sense of big, ungainly emotions - as James puts it, "for three to five whole minutes." Read more

John Hartl, Seattle Times: It seems thin despite its first-rate cast, which includes two Academy Award winners. Read more

Peter Debruge, Variety: Perhaps the cleverest thing about Barker-Froyland's delicately contrived debut is how uncontrived she manages to make it seem. Read more

Jesse Hassenger, AV Club: Not enough happens in Song One for the movie to really qualify as unpredictable, but it deserves credit for a steadfast avoidance of melodrama in a story that practically begs for it. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Loving the movie is out of the question - there simply isn't enough here - but writer-director Kate Barker-Froyland's feature debut is certainly a likable effort. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: Take away the Brooklyn chic and the medical emergency, and "Song One" is a pretty good study-hall daydream. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: The mellow chemistry between Hathaway and Flynn fits the mood of the film, even if their characters' tentative relationship could use more tangible conflict. A touch more humor wouldn't have hurt, either. Read more

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: Anyone with the slightest allergy to emo-tinged millennial attitudinizing should steer clear. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: The film, like the world it's part of, remains just a little too precious, a little too self-involved, a little too insular. Instead of singing out, directly to us, it hums its little tune only to itself. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: It all seems like low-key riffing, rather than a movie that makes any cohesive statement. Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: Commendably, Ms. Barker-Froyland resists the urge to tidy up loose ends. And if her leads remain locked in a romance-novel connection ... at least it's one in which the smart girl gets the boy. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: Starts off as a singularly strong slice-of-life drama before dissipating into thin air. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Despite the delicate shadings Hathaway brings to the role, Song One moves inexorably from wan to wearying. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: "Song One" makes no grand promises beyond the moments these people share, but those are intimately rendered and well worth celebrating. Read more

David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle: Barker-Froyland has more than romance on her mind, and she crafts a nuanced ending to the story that feels right. We just wish we could have gotten to know these folks a little better along the way. Read more

David Ehrlich, Time Out: Fading out long before it's able to cohere into anything memorable, Song One has its heart in the right place (on its sleeve) -- it's just in desperate need of a few strong hooks. Read more

Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice: He's got writer's block, she's waiting out the brother's coma, and the audience is left to wait out the inevitable resolution to both hoary plotlines. Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: Like the music, which is easy on the ears though never catchy, the movie doesn't stick with you. Once it's over, it's gone. Read more