60
Metascore
36 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80VarietyAndrew BarkerVarietyAndrew BarkerThe film taps into far deeper, richer veins of material than it has the time to properly mine. It’s nonetheless a flinty, brainy, continually engrossing work that straddles the lines between biopic, political thriller and journalistic cautionary tale, driven by Jeremy Renner’s most complete performance since The Hurt Locker.
- 75McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreRenner’s performance — beginning with bluster and descending into twitchy paranoia — sells it and makes us fret for every “messenger” suddenly the target of the spotlight himself.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyThe Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthyRenner appears completely immersed in his role and when the clouds of doubt accumulate and the man becomes a professional pariah, it's a painful thing to see.
- 70The New YorkerDavid DenbyThe New YorkerDavid DenbyJeremy Renner is the main reason to see Kill the Messenger.
- 60The GuardianJordan HoffmanThe GuardianJordan HoffmanIt’s a great story that lends itself to some striking scenes. Yet the film in total – if I may paraphrase Webb’s critics – has a number of holes.
- 60Time OutJoshua RothkopfTime OutJoshua RothkopfSeeing as how Kill the Messenger comes down firmly on the side of Webb’s truth, it’s unfortunate that his discoveries are only confirmed via the end credits. Missing from the action, too, is the merest hint of our hero’s demise by suicide in 2004. These aspects should have been better showcased; as is, it’s not the whole story.
- 60Village VoiceAmy NicholsonVillage VoiceAmy NicholsonIt doesn't entirely engage, in part because it's so determined to correct the story that it can't let us explore it ourselves.
- 50The PlaylistRodrigo PerezThe PlaylistRodrigo PerezKill The Messenger hopes to solemnly lionize and exonerate Webb, but rarely does it reflect anything back to its audience other than reminding us how corrupt and unprincipled our system is.
- 50Slant MagazineChris CabinSlant MagazineChris CabinThe film devolves quickly into a pedestrian character study that basks in Gary Webb's public shaming and victimization, losing sight of the bravery and probing talent that characterized his writing.
- 48TheWrapAlonso DuraldeTheWrapAlonso DuraldeThe intent of the film, and its timeliness, are beyond reproach, but that doesn't make Kill the Messenger as stirring or inspiring of indignation as it clearly wants to be.