82
Metascore
6 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisBig Words is an engrossing, coming-of-middle-age drama that shows how disappointment can fester and derail a life. By the end, hope and change seem possible but far from guaranteed.
- 90VarietyRonnie ScheibVarietyRonnie ScheibThe dialogue — natural, vibrant and totally embedded in the moment, never sententious or showoff-y — is delivered with consummate believability by an excellent cast.
- 83IndieWireEric KohnIndieWireEric KohnBig Words at times seems like it's heading towards a microbudget version of "Hustle and Flow," but Drumming aims for a much smarter and subdued look at the various regrets and hang-ups haunting men of a certain age. Their blackness is only one piece of the puzzle.
- 80Los Angeles TimesMark OlsenLos Angeles TimesMark OlsenDrumming is able to swing from lighter comedic moments to dramatic insights while making it seem effortless.
- 70Village VoiceErnest HardyVillage VoiceErnest HardyDrumming doesn't quite have the skills to finesse the varying tones demanded by his textured script...and he could have taken one more pass on smoothing out character arcs, which are too truncated to be believable in a few cases. Still, the ensemble cast is fantastic, and Drumming is a talent to watch.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckThe Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckMarked by incisive characterizations and fine performances, Big Words is aptly titled, referring not only to the name of one of its lead characters but also to the torrent of dialogue driving its skimpy but evocative narrative.