74
Metascore
31 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumAlthough the talent of a kid with the last name of Culkin may not, at this point, register as such a novelty -- Rory follows brothers Macaulay and Kieran -- there is something precociously mature but natural about the work of this youngest Culkin sibling that stands apart.
- 90The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood ReporterIntelligent, universal tale.
- 88ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliBy entering such fertile, intellectually stimulating and psychologically rich territory, Estes provides us with a freshman feature that is far beyond the generic coming-of-age tale Mean Creek initially seems to be.
- 80VarietyScott FoundasVarietyScott FoundasEstes' debut feature's strength lies in its crackling intensity, ultra-sharp character insights and an affinity for teenage protagonists who look and sound like real teens.
- 80The A.V. ClubNathan RabinThe A.V. ClubNathan RabinDyslexic, talkative, and permanently tethered to a video camera that documents his solitary life and vivid fantasy world, Peck, in a stunning performance, resonates as both monster and victim, predator and prey.
- 75Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittImagine a bolder "Bully" blended with a more probing "River's Edge" and you'll have some idea of this little drama's strong dramatic and emotional power.
- 70Film ThreatFilm ThreatEstes and his team did an admirable job in bringing together a team of youthful actors who carry the weight of a fairly weighty movie.
- 70The New York TimesDana StevensThe New York TimesDana StevensLike an uncommonly artful and well-acted after-school special. I don't mean this as a put-down: its combination of realism and fretful moral inquiry is best suited to the tastes and sensibilities of young teenagers who devour young-adult fiction.
- 50Village VoiceMichael AtkinsonVillage VoiceMichael AtkinsonAs obvious in many ways as its title (and its poster), Mean Creek retains a gritty working-class ambience, but it feels over-rehearsed.
- 50L.A. WeeklyElla TaylorL.A. WeeklyElla TaylorEstes never really completes a thought about this sorry group's moral dilemmas.