Lay the Favorite Reviews

Frears has a lot of fun with the bad tempers and high spirits of this crew of adrenaline junkies, and though the story falls a little flat, the script is sprinkled with dry wit.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4

"Lay the Favorite" is a small and not particularly ambitious movie, but it's pleasing and exceptionally well made.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4

What has happened to director Stephen Frears?

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5

Best to say as little as possible, cut one's losses and move on.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5

The dots are there, but they don't connect.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4

A listless comedy built around a vivacious protagonist.

Full Review

Hall works like mad to create this character, giving her a breathy voice and hair-twisting tics and wide-eyed expressions that, rather than rounding her out, only flatten her.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5

Incoherent, loud and saddled with a lead character far less smart ... 'Lay the Favorite' simply lays down dead.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5

A wan comedy about gambling that takes no risks ...

Full Review

This is one bugged-out burlesque you can easily close the iron door on.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5

As forgettable a motion picture as can be found during the 2012 holiday season.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4

Frears's strongest hand is a set of colourful characters played with verve...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5

Not just an utterly tepid comedy, but possibly the most lifeless film in Frears' generally acclaimed oeuvre.

Full Review

Frivolous fun at best, archly affected tedium at worst.

Full Review

Those of us who still venerate Frears as a pioneer of British indie cinema in the '80s pine for him to have higher goals than a ditzy true-crime romp, but maybe that's our problem rather than his.

Full Review

Like a loud guest at a party who's amusing for a while, until you just have to escape to the next room.

Full Review