Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.
There isn't a dishonest moment in Fairhaven, Tom O'Brien's piercing, wistful portrait of three longtime buddies in their mid-30s who reunite around a funeral in a southeastern Massachusetts fishing community. Read full review
O'Brien and his castmates seem to play loose with his script a bit more than they should in an effort to give the material a lived-in feeling. Read full review
Though its insights are slight-the movie feels as delicate and ephemeral as its sleepy winter surroundings - you can't help but admire the overall generousness O'Brien shows to his characters and performers. Read full review
Movies like this, from "Diner" to "Beautiful Girls" to "Garden State," have a standard trajectory, and this film's no different. But it has a nuance and a rumpled comfort with itself, which turns Fairhaven into an inviting place to visit. Read full review
While there's something undeniably fascinating about the way Fairhaven repeatedly avoids predictable payoffs for portentous dramatic setups, narrative momentum is conspicuous by its absence. Read full review
The film plays coy with its quintessential indie-dramedy setup, eschewing narrative and tension in favor of convivial character interplay and master shots of wintry landscapes. Read full review
Fairhaven's location is lovely. Its actors are terrific. All of them beg for something better. Read full review
Messina's performance has a lived-in, emotional messiness, but the film is nothing but clichés. Read full review
O'Brien also provided the lethargic direction and collaborated with Messina on the cliché-infested script, which is long on booze-filled confessions. Read full review