RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Virgil Bliss
Virgil Bliss

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Virgil Bliss (2002)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
71 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 17

Fresh: 12

Rotten:5

Average Rating: 6.5/10

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Jun 12, 2002 Limited

Synopsis: After serving twelve years in prison, an ex convict tries to start a "normal life" while on parole. Virgil Bliss (Clint Jordan) decides to find a good job, get married, and start a family. The only... After serving twelve years in prison, an ex convict tries to start a "normal life" while on parole. Virgil Bliss (Clint Jordan) decides to find a good job, get married, and start a family. The only problem is that he's living in a halfway house and doesn't know any women. His roommate Manny Alvarez (Anthony Gorman), a hood with a chip on his shoulder, introduces Virgil to a prostitute named Ruby (Kirsten Russell). Virgil immediately falls for the hard-bitten and vulnerable woman and moves in with her after his release from the halfway house. He gets a job as a janitor and begins a straight life, but Ruby, a damaged junkie, denies him his dreams of normalcy. When Manny gets out of the halfway house, he shows up at Virgil's door, trying to pull Virgil back into a life a crime. To make matters worse, Ruby's pusher gives Virgil trouble, forcing him to make some tough decisions about his values and the lifestyle that he wants so badly. Kirsten Russell and Clint Jordan are heartbreaking as two damaged people trying to make it in this debut film by Joe Maggio. [More]

Starring: Clint Jordan, Kristen Russell, Anthony Gorman, John Hagemann

Starring: Clint Jordan, Kristen Russell, Anthony Gorman, John Hagemann

Director: Joe Maggio

Director: Joe Maggio
Screenwriter: Joe Maggio
Producer: John Maggio, Joe Maggio
Composer: Greta Gaines, Chris Jordan, Anthony Gorman
Studio: First Run Features

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Nov 26, 2002

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Virgil Bliss

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/20/08
Scott Foundas
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Empire Magazine
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

Raw independent drama with great naturalistic performances.

comment Comment
11/07/05
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

No review available.

comment Comment
08/27/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Proof that a newcomer indie filmmaker can infuse some new life into the Downtrodden Loser Character Study.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
06/09/03
Scott Weinberg
Apollo Guide
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
03/25/03
Guardian [UK]
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: FilmFour.com | comment Comment
03/14/03
FilmFour.com

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
02/26/03
BBC

Although some of the secondary roles are awkwardly acted, the leads are impressive.

Full Review Source: Oregonian | comment Comment
12/13/02
Oregonian

Director Joe Maggio's riveting film is blessed with a solid cast.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Merle Bertrand
Film Threat

An overly familiar scenario is made fresh by an intelligent screenplay and gripping performances in this low-budget, video-shot, debut indie effort.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
07/10/02
Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
06/15/02
Reel.com

You've seen it before: the ex-con who stumbles while striving to assimilate back into society. But writer-director Joe Maggio and his able cast makes you care about this man's sorry journey in Virgil Bliss.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
06/15/02
Eric Monder
Film Journal International

Shows moments of promise but ultimately succumbs to cliches and pat storytelling.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
06/14/02
Rachel Deahl
Boxoffice Magazine

Virgil's naïveté isn't entirely believable, but his essential goodness is, thanks to a solid performance by Jordan, and that's really what makes this modern urban tragedy unusually affecting.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
06/13/02
Ken Fox
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Too bad Maggio couldn't come up with a better script.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
06/13/02
V.A. Musetto
New York Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Shot largely in small rooms, the film has a gentle, unforced intimacy that never becomes claustrophobic.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
06/12/02
Dave Kehr
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Stale, futile scenario.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
06/11/02
Dennis Lim
Village Voice
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See More Topics...

Related Forums for Virgil Bliss

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
79%
79%
Gran Torino
30%
30%
12 Rounds
23%
23%
Confessions of a Shopa…
—
The Code
39%
39%
Inkheart

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
22%
22%
Push
12%
12%
The Unborn

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

Deconstructing Harry

Deconstructing Harry

Pt. 3: Cuaron's darker Prisoner of Azkaban

Best Mockumentaries

Best Mockumentaries

From Borat to Spinal Tap, this one goes to 11

Humpday Clip

Humpday Clip

An exclusive peek at the indie comedy!

Half-Blood Prince

Half-Blood Prince

How good is the 6th Harry Potter?

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: T.J. Hooker Film in Development
20
  • Warners Shortens Green Lantern Wishlist Source: Hollywood Reporter
96
  • Harold Ramis Talks Ghostbusters 3 Source: MakingOf.com
32
  • Spider-Man 4 Gets Its Third Writer Source: Latino Review
60
  • Warners Wins Favorable Ruling in Superman Case Source: Variety
18
  • Remo Williams Rides Again Source: Risky Biz
10
  • Mortal Kombat 3 Filming in September? Source: Slashfilm
82
  • MacGruber Gets a Director Source: Variety
39
  • PG-13 Turns 25 Source: VideoETA
8
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
92
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
67
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers and Ice Age Tie for Top Spot
59
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
52
  • Weekly Ketchup: Universal Takes on Asteroids
46
  • Total Recall: Mock Docs That Rock
41
  • Critics Consensus: Bruno is Certified Fresh
41
  • Five Favorite Films with Kathryn Bigelow
39
  • RT on DVD: Knowing, Push, The Unborn Unleashed
26
  • Five Favourite Films with Jaime Winstone
19
  • Deconstructing Harry, Day 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
17
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Virgil Bliss at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Virgil Bliss at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno
Point-Counterpoint: Bruno External Link

MSN's David Fear and Frank Paiva go head to head discussing the pros and cons of Bruno star Sacha Baron Cohen.

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

The AV Club's Scott Tobias takes a second look at David Lynch's cult classic, Lost Highway.

Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles
Tom Cruise's 10 Best Roles External Link

TIME takes us on a 25-year long journey into the superstar's career, giving us a look at his 10 best roles.

A Baywatch Comedy?
A Baywatch Comedy? External Link

BuzzSugar reports on Paramount's plans to rebirth the iconic TV show as a comedy film.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.