Sympathy for Delicious 2010

Stephen Holden, New York Times: These characters may serve an obscure metaphorical agenda, but they make no psychological sense. And as the movie contemplates the rewards and perils of giving and receiving, it winds itself into stomach-turning knots. Read more

Alison Willmore, Time Out: A mess -- but a beautiful one, crammed with enough big ideas and outsize performances for three movies. Read more

Sam Adams, AV Club: Mark Ruffalo only gave himself a small part in his directorial debut, but his absence behind the camera is more keenly felt. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Mark Ruffalo is one of the best actors of his generation, and I'd like to be able to say that, with his directorial debut, Sympathy for Delicious, he's one of its best filmmakers, too. Alas, this semiexpressionist fantasia is a botch. Read more

Sheri Linden, Los Angeles Times: Despite the powerful sense of place, "Sympathy for Delicious" unwinds a narrative thread that grows increasingly tattered and flimsy. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: While, as director, Ruffalo is a little too fond of hand-held shots, he keeps all the performances simmering and moves the story ahead in simple, straightforward steps. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: As it builds, kind of epically, to a thoughtful conclusion, "Sympathy" appreciates the places we find after defeating our demons. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Interesting but never compelling... Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: Sympathy for Delicious is populated by so many good people who ought to be better that it's hard to ignore. But sympathy, for Delicious or anyone else, eludes me totally. Read more

Dennis Harvey, Variety: This offbeat effort proves more admirable for its ambition than anything else, as the uneasy mix of satire, allegory, grittiness and redemption never quite jells. Read more

Michelle Orange, Village Voice: An urban parable in the underlit indie tradition, Sympathy for Delicious treats sketchy, moribund storytelling as divine inspiration. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: You can't make this stuff up. Or maybe you can, but you shouldn't. Read more