The Freebie 2010

Stephen Holden, New York Times: A smart seriocomic playlet with some emotionally harsh moments, although it refrains from plumbing its subject in agonizing depth. Read more

Eric Hynes, Time Out: Writer, director and star Katie Aselton offers an indecent proposal of a story that initially suggests an honest reconsideration of monogamy -- then quickly, steadily devolves into a moralizing fable. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Though the dialogue explores some interesting territory, the couple remain elusive and a little dull; we never learn anything about them beyond the subject at hand, so they seem to exist in an odd, screenwriting-exercise vacuum. Read more

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: Though its premise seems ripe for a high-concept studio yukfest, The Freebie is all the better for its low-budget, human-scale approach. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: A sly examination of the fragility of love. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: Katie Aselton has achieved the seemingly impossible. She's turned a movie about sex into a boring, talky snooze. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: A not too funny, not too sad, largely improvised dramedy about two nice people who both succumb to the seven-year-itch and live to regret it. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Aselton gets a lot said in 78 minutes. I think the main thing she says is something never overtly spoken, that life is essentially a lonely experience - even when we're surrounded by activity, and even if we never shut up. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: If the only alternative to swinging is this yuppie living death, maybe the next consideration should be a suicide pact. Read more