Off the Black (2006)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:39
Fresh:26
Rotten:13
Average Rating:6.2/10
Consensus: While the story can be dull, Nick Nolte shines.
Theatrical Release:Dec 8, 2006 Limited
Synopsis: Veteran actor Nick Nolte puts his explosive personal life behind him for a while, returning to what he does best with OFF THE BLACK. Nolte stars as Ray, a weathered high-school baseball umpire... [More]
Starring: Nick Nolte, Trevor Morgan, Timothy Hutton, Noah Fleiss
Director: James Ponsoldt
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Reviews for Off the Black
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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To put it plainly, most of Off the Black is simply terrible. Full Review |
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 B |
Ponsoldt's debut is full of quiet heartache, and effectively establishes a consistent melancholy tone. And Nolte is exceptional. Full Review |
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4/5 |
Just a simple little "people drama," nothing more, but a very well-crafted and heartfelt one all the same. Full Review |
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"Off the Black" is writer/director James Ponsoldt's first movie...When I found out how young Ponsoldt is, only twenty-six, I was shocked that someone so young could have such insight into, and such empathy for, the existential disquietude of middle age. Full Review |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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B+ |
A modest drama fueled by Nick Nolte's gutsy lead performance as a disheveled 57-year-old junkyard proprietor who's been as flattened by life as the rusty old cars he crushes. Full Review |
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C+ |
The material is awfully familiar, and first-time director James Ponsoldt paces the entire 90 minutes so slowly that you might think he's talking about chess rather than baseball. Full Review |
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3.5/5 |
Just 'off the black' is a baseball term for a pitch that's a fraction off from being a really good strike. Same here, this movie is just a fraction off from being a really good film. Full Review |
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B |
OFF THE BLACK is a small picture that might get lost amidall the holiday hoopla and Oscar-bait fare that is clogging the cineplexes. It's worth seeking out; those who do will find a sweet but not saccharine story. Full Review |
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C |
Nolte almost makes it work. Full Review |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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[S]mart, bone-dry, but ultimately distant indie... Full Review |
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3/4 |
Off the Black is a small, dry, emotionally loaded short story that has been carried to film like baked fish to a platter. Full Review |
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Writer-director James Ponsoldt's film treats big subjects -- loneliness, coming-of-age and father-son relationships -- with such half-baked conviction, it's a wonder the screen doesn't redden with embarrassment. Full Review |
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3/4 |
...There's nothing too small about Nolte's performance. He's the perfect companion for a rookie feature film director looking to make a good first impression. Full Review |
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3/4 |
The beauty of this film lies in its sense of promise. All the characters are in crisis, yet no one completely falls apart. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Throughout the film, there is a sense that the actors know a lot about these characters and that they believe in them. The result is a movie that we believe in, no matter where it goes. Full Review |
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3/4 |
There's something very right with Off the Black in terms of pure emotion and performance craft. Full Review |
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B |
Tells a familiar story, but does it well enough to merit a passing grade. Full Review |
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Despite some nice touches, this is the sort of too-precious indie film that gives its characters unnecessary quirks (like diabetes) to make them more 'real'. Full Review |
1 CommentLatest News for Off the Black
December 07, 2006:
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This week at the movies, we've got declining civilizations ("Apocalypto," directed by Mel Gibson), conflict diamonds ("Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo... More...
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