Critic Reviews

Marvin's Room (1996) Rank 4 Reviews

Expert Review Summary

Movie critics combined give Marvin's Room (1996) a score of 2.9420 out of 4

based on (51) reviews

Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating

Excellent

(9)

Very Good

(39)

Good

(2)

Fair

(1)

Poor

(0)

Reviews by Score:

Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)

...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at Cinema in Focus (Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin)

filmcritic.com

...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at filmcritic.com

ReelViews (James Berardinelli)

For every happy, "traditional" family, there's one that fits under the broad envelope of "dysfunctional." In general, motion pictures are made about those in the latter category rather than the former, because the dramatic potential is better. Marvin's Ro ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

There is a line of dialogue that comes late in ``Marvin's Room'' and contains the key to the whole film. It is spoken by a woman who has put her life on hold for years, to care for a ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

AboutFilm.com (Carlo Cavagna)

McPherson and Zaks explore all of the complex relationships without melodrama or heavy-handedness, emphasizing realism and the stars' natural acting abilities. Diane Keaton earned a well-deserved Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Bessie. She manages ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at AboutFilm.com (Carlo Cavagna)

Walter Frith

There are few movies from 1996 with a more realistic look at everyday life than 'Marvin's Room.' Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton play sisters who haven't seen each other for twenty years. Meryl Streep is a frumpy and belligerent woman with a large chip on ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at Walter Frith

Michael Redman

Realizing that this time she must face up to her responsibility, Lee packs up and reluctantly heads to the Florida home. First she must gather up her sons: Charlie (Hal Scardino) who rarely looks out of his books and Hank (Leonardo DiCaprio) who was ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at Michael Redman

ReelViews (James Berardinelli)

It takes a lot of thought and reflection to untangle all the complex relationships revealed throughout Marvin's Room. In the end, however, the image that lingers is one of promise. Sure, there's a tragedy here, but, ultimately, I ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)

Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics

A terminal illness movie that doesn't beat you over the head with overwrought ...read the complete Marvin's Room movie review at Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics