62
Metascore
18 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisUnfolding with a tonic intelligence and a slow accretion of menace, Alex MacKeith’s screenplay is smoothly in sync with the specific skills of each performer.
- 83Original-CinOriginal-CinIt’s a clever bit of noir that keeps a viewer slightly off-balance at all times as the tension builds.
- 80Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzArizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzThe Lesson is a quiet little film with surprisingly sharp teeth.
- 67ColliderChase HutchinsonColliderChase HutchinsonThat it holds together is a testament to the cast who it feels like are battling against clumsy escalations that go bigger and louder when the quieter moments carry with them a far more tactful deployment of emotion.
- 63Slant MagazineChris BarsantiSlant MagazineChris BarsantiIt’s a testament to the skills of the cast and filmmakers that The Lesson’s mysteries, while easy to foretell, are worth unraveling.
- 63Washington PostMichael O'SullivanWashington PostMichael O'SullivanEchoing Liam’s review of Sinclair’s work in progress, I’d call the first two acts of the film cleverly constructed, fresh and fascinating, yet marred by a climax and conclusion that are unworthy of what came before.
- 63The Associated PressLindsey BahrThe Associated PressLindsey BahrThe Lesson is worth a watch as a tightly crafted film made by and for adults unafraid of some rhododendron metaphors and casual Tchaikovsky talk.
- 63New Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottNew Orleans Times-PicayuneMike ScottBetween its penchant for melodrama and an absolute lack of warmth, The Lesson isn’t the kind of film that will connect with many viewers in a way that sticks to their ribs much longer than the closing credits. Still, between the work of its expert cast and Troughton’s well-played surprises, there’s enough there to make it a sturdy-enough, diverting enough bit of blockbuster-season counterprogramming.
- 50Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerAustin ChronicleRichard WhittakerMaybe some grasp of the dynamics of the modern publishing industry would have added some grit, making it more than it is: a formulaic and forgettable pulpy beach read.
- 38RogerEbert.comGlenn KennyRogerEbert.comGlenn KennyThe Lesson, directed by Alice Troughton from a script by Alex MacKeith, aspires to be high-toned but only gets to the peak of a cliché slag heap.