White Irish Drinkers 2011

Stephen Holden, New York Times: Putting profane adjectives in front of every other noun in dialogue that wants desperately to sound streetwise doesn't make it feel authentic if the other words spoken by the characters are arranged into orderly little blocks of exposition. Read more

John Anderson, Wall Street Journal: Frequently enough at the movies, an isolated scene can take place in which an actor who may or may not be the lead steals the whole film through naked emotion, or power, or eloquence. Mr. Lang certainly has one here. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: All the good intentions in the world can't save "White Irish Drinkers'' from playing like the baldest of retreads. Read more

Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter: It's a sparkling piece of entertainment that deserves a wide audience. Read more

Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times: The cliches are what make "White Irish Drinkers" a drearily predictable bout... Read more

Anthony Venutolo, Newark Star-Ledger: The basic outline of the plot, built around a promised local concert by the Rolling Stones - well, if you don't know where that story is headed, you haven't seen as many movies as I think you have. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Despite the cliches that push every scene forward, there's an unexpected appeal to John Gray's modest drama, emanating from its center. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Saturated with atmosphere and strongly acted, the movie is a far more resonant and convincing portrait of working-class life than the recent awards-bait phoniness that called itself "The Fighter." Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: I was immensely impressed with Mr. Thurston, an appealing actor with intelligence and self-assurance who is going places, and writer-director John Gray, who has already arrived with a bang. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Writer-director John Gray digs into his own background to create the ardent and atmospheric White Irish Drinkers. The close, cramped intimacy of this film is so real it stings. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: A movie that one watches with the sense of pushing it up a hill. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Every kitchen-sink dramatic cliche is trotted out in John Gray's Brooklyn period piece. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: White Irish Drinkers is a heavy borrower deep into the pocket of pop culture's loan shark, and lacking the grace to acknowledge the debt. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment when the mediocre White Irish Drinkers goes off the rails. Maybe the problem is the predictable story just never leaves the station. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: A modestly engaging domestic drama that earns few points for originality but rewards aud attention with persuasive performances, outbursts of robust humor and a vivid yet understated evocation of time and place. Read more

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice: John Gray's Noo Yawker indie is a stubborn throwback to the Sundance-fueled, ethnic-neighborhood movie of the early '90s, when every film-school grad with a fresh head full of Mean Streets decided he would be the next Scorsese. Read more