Last Chance HarveyMovie Reviews

So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 57 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
14 OK for kids 14+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    Boston Globe | Ty Burr

    Harvey is so thin it barely registers as a movie, yet these two actors - British apples and American oranges in their respective approaches to character - almost miraculously weave something memorable out of nothing much. Read full review

  • 75
    New York Post | Lou Lumenick

    Slight but utterly charming. Read full review

  • 75
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Last Chance Harvey is the "Before Sunrise" for the over-45 set. Read full review

  • 75
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    Last Chance Harvey is a tremendously appealing love story surrounded by a movie not worthy of it. Read full review

  • 67
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    Hoffman and Thompson are each good enough to bring out a glow in the other. Read full review

  • 63
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Steven Rea

    Sappy, sentimental and redeemed only by the quiet radiance and fidgety intelligence of its leads, Last Chance Harvey is a fantasy about mopey middle-agers getting a second chance at love. Read full review

  • 60
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    Imagine Paddy Chayefsky's "Marty" saddled with more sentimentality and sprinkled with a few more laughs and you pretty much have Last Chance Harvey. Read full review

  • 60
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    This mundane romantic comedy is notable for one reason only: its leading couple. Read full review

  • 50
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    A good chance to see two superb actors having their way with wafer-thin material. Read full review

  • 25
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    Witless banter might have won Ginger Rogers for Fred Astaire, but Thompson is too smart for that. Read full review

View more reviews for Last Chance Harvey on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 14+ Midlife love story is sweet, but may not appeal to teens.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this sweet romance about middle-aged lovers deals with some mature themes -- family dysfunction, for starters -- in a low-key way that likely won't lure too many younger viewers. But those who do see it, especially older teens, will be greeted with strong storytelling about a very realistic relationship. There's some strong language (mostly "s--t"), and few scenes involve drinking, primarily in a social setting (at pubs, for instance) -- though one character sits at a bar seemingly ready to drown his sorrows. It may feel like a downer at first, but it's ultimately a hopeful film.
  • Families can talk about what makes this movie different from many Hollywood romances. Does the central relationship seem more or less realistic than in other romances you've seen? Why? How do most movies define "love"? How does that compare to real life? Also, what does the movie say about the power of forgiveness -- not only of others, but of yourself?
The good stuff
  • message true2 Positive messages: A father tries to patch things up with his daughter, putting his already endangered job in more peril. A woman comes to a man's aid and not only befriends him but also helps him through a rough patch, as he does for her. A daughter grows increasingly exasperated with her needy mother but still stays patient and giving.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: Tense conversations, but no physical fights.
  • sex false0 Sexy stuff: A sweet kiss between two people falling in love.
  • language false3 Language: Some brief outbursts of profanity, primarily "s--t."
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Some visible signage and product placement -- including but not limited to Johnnie Walker Black Label, Air Berliner, and Marriott -- but not an overwhelming amount.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false2 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some drinking, mostly social -- though one scene shows a man ready to drown out his sorrows in hard liquor.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Dave White

0.5

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...lukewarm bowl of romance soup. Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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