Justin Lowe

Justin Lowe's reviews only count toward the Tomatometer when published at the following Tomatometer-approved publication(s): Hollywood Reporter

Biography:

Hollywood Reporter film critic.

Publications: Hollywood Reporter

Critics' Group: Los Angeles Film Critics Association

Movie Reviews Only

Movies

T-Meter	Title \| Year	Review
80%	Metal Heart (2018)	With a light touch and a knowing regard, O'Conor manages to avoid the genre's most egregious cliches and simplistic life lessons, instead focusing on the sisters' often amusing rivalry and their ultimately unshakable familial bond. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 23, 2019
No Score Yet	Kifaru (2019)	Effectively confronts the challenges of the ongoing wildlife conservation crisis. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 20, 2019
43%	Lost Holiday (2019)	Gives the impression of an in-joke that never quite lands. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 14, 2019
46%	What Men Want (2019)	Henson evinces a tremendously humorous, and human, capacity for grasping Ali's personal desperation and professional determination as she forges them into a semi-coherent strategy for success. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 7, 2019
45%	The Prodigy (2019)	Struggling throughout with issues of structure and pacing, Nicholas McCarthy's horror feature threatens to debase standards for the genre to levels that even undiscriminating thrillseekers seem likely to reject. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 6, 2019
100%	Pahokee (2019)	Pahokee is also a worthwhile reminder for those who haven't faced similar challenges that things rarely come easy for those from modest circumstances. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 1, 2019
No Score Yet	Words from a Bear (2019)	A rare opportunity to hear directly from the dean of Native American writers about his craft and career. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 29, 2019
83%	The Vast of Night (2019)	Unpacks a generation's worth of Cold War fascination and paranoia. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 27, 2019
No Score Yet	Abe (2019)	An appetizing fusion of diverse influences. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 27, 2019
No Score Yet	Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story (2019)	A stirring tribute to one of the pioneers of extreme sports filmmaking. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 27, 2019
No Score Yet	Hamid (2018)	A sobering yet hopeful account of compassion emerging in the midst of conflict. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 19, 2019
79%	Buffalo Boys (2019)	Buffalo Boys ends up somewhat awkwardly caught between mainstream glorifications of violence and more restrained cultural norms emphasizing respect and harmony. This inherent creative conflict however remains mostly obscured by the action-oriented plot... - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jan 11, 2019
No Score Yet	Still Human (2018)	Frankly sentimental and sometimes outright implausible, Oliver Siu Kuen Chan's feature debut nonetheless charms with winning performances... - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 30, 2018
No Score Yet	Adulthood (Eoreundogam) (2018)	Casually observational and gently humorous, Kim's feature represents a winning combination of sentiment and craft that intuitively nudges her characters toward reluctant self-awareness. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 23, 2018
92%	Bumblebee (2018)	It's an effective reimagining that also bears a knowing resemblance to classic youth-oriented films from Bumblebee executive producer Steven Spielberg. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 9, 2018
No Score Yet	The Hungry Lion (Ueta raion) (2017)	Ogata exposes not just the victim, but all of those who presume to judge her and attempt to disassociate themselves from their own unseemly actions. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 7, 2018
No Score Yet	Grace (2018)	Modestly scaled and tightly focused on its lead characters, Adair's feature offers an authentic perspective on nurturing creativity while maintaining a playful tone that's both entertaining and endearing. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Dec 2, 2018
No Score Yet	Killing for the Prosecution (Kensatsu gawa no zainin) (2018)	Overstuffed and under-motivated. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 20, 2018
No Score Yet	SOMM 3 (2018)	Wise's filmmaking style remains consistently engaging throughout the series as he demonstrates a characteristic ability to elicit particularly salient comments from interviewees, many of them already well-accustomed to media attention. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Nov 14, 2018
78%	The Boat (2018)	Azzopardi's physical demeanor effectively conveys the fisherman's confusion and desperation, but the lack of any clear narrative resolution lends scant significance to the role. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 30, 2018
No Score Yet	Banana Split (2018)	Kasulke maintains a strong rapport with his cast and as a result the performances rarely feel forced, even when things get a bit outrageous, although for a cinematographer-turned-director, he favors a fairly subdued visual style. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 19, 2018
42%	The Chaperone (2019)	Until the last half-hour, it's a rather plodding process of experimentation and assimilation as Norma gains the insight and courage to seize her dreams. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 11, 2018
No Score Yet	Funke (2018)	Taraboulsy has a well-trained eye for shooting delicious-looking food, but appears way too enamored with the chef to develop much objectivity. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 5, 2018
No Score Yet	Nomis (2018)	The film's starry cast will be a strong selling point, but a plot that's overly complicated rather than genuinely complex may leave audiences wishing for less incident and more clarity. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Oct 1, 2018
75%	The Clovehitch Killer (2018)	Offers an intriguing perspective on the darker side of American values, but lacks the conviction to entirely expose the cultural contradictions that often enable compulsive murderers. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Sep 27, 2018
No Score Yet	Echo In the Canyon (2019)	Rich with revealing observations and engaging anecdotes, Slater's documentary skirts the nostalgia trap by engagingly connecting with an impressive lineup of contemporary singer-songwriters... - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Sep 24, 2018
No Score Yet	The Sweet Requiem (Kyoyang Ngarmo) (2018)	Intensely personal and emphatically universal filmmaking. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Sep 11, 2018
85%	Freaks (2019)	[Kolker's] semi-improvised performance couldn't be any more authentic and she's well matched with Hirsch, drawing on his own parental experience, as her conflicted and overprotective father. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Sep 9, 2018
64%	Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018)	An exceedingly conventional and mild-mannered rom-com. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Sep 7, 2018
51%	Destination Wedding (2018)	Whatever the intent, forcing a couple of middle-aged misanthropes to reluctantly attend the nuptials of their rather reviled friends sets a hopelessly high bar for delivering satisfying entertainment. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Sep 1, 2018
100%	Restoring Tomorrow (2018)	Heartfelt and historic. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Aug 24, 2018
47%	The Package (2018)	To say that The Package is one continuous dirty joke with an outrageously absurd premise wouldn't be an exaggeration. It's also a funny, sweet, raucous teen comedy that's by turns ridiculous and raunchy, but thankfully never too profound. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Aug 9, 2018
57%	Our House (2018)	Though it lacks the go-for-the-throat spirit seemingly required to succeed in the broader horror marketplace these days, its sincerity and polish should impress genre die-hards... - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jul 26, 2018
44%	Occupation (2018)	Occupation gets the job done with a minimum of fuss and an abundance of explosive set pieces that will likely endear it to domestic fans, even if it's mostly forgettable otherwise. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jul 26, 2018
No Score Yet	Daddy Issues (2019)	Manning's straightforward take on relationship dynamics proves both refreshing and empowering, making Jasmine the center of every character's attention and desire. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jul 21, 2018
11%	Siberia (2018)	A fatalistic romance framed by a pointedly obscure heist plot that struggles to gain momentum before finally sputtering out. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jul 14, 2018
20%	Hover (2018)	Coleman's rush to condemn corporations' profit motive seems too simplistic and skimps on the details of social disintegration that the global agricultural crisis must necessarily provoke. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jun 29, 2018
No Score Yet	Kapgang (2014)	Oplev is perfectly in tune with the script's tender tone, deftly guiding the believable cast through the film's frequent emotional twists and turns. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jun 13, 2018
88%	Zoo (2018)	A thrilling adventure for all ages. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Jun 12, 2018
100%	Anote's Ark (2018)	A sobering reality check. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted May 25, 2018
40%	School of Life (L'école buissonnière) (2017)	Gorgeous woodland scenery and spectacular wildlife photography cast a magical spell under Vanier's skillful direction, capably supported by Belle & Sebastian cinematographer Eric Guichard and an ace team of animal wranglers. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted May 20, 2018
No Score Yet	The Ashram (2018)	Often dominated by a familiar form of Asian-influenced religious eclecticism, Rekhi's feature plays out as a low-key spiritual thriller that should appeal primarily to like-minded viewers and the inevitably curious. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted May 3, 2018
51%	Rampage (2018)	Although their spectacular clashes provide most of the movie's visual thrills, the escalating conflict between George and Davis remains the principal narrative dynamic. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Apr 11, 2018
No Score Yet	Seven Years of Night (2018)	Ryu and Jang play the film essentially as a two-hander, but neither invests their characters with enough distinction to inspire much concern for their welfare, even if the fate of their kids evokes a degree of sympathy. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Apr 7, 2018
64%	The New Romantic (2018)	Setting the bar for the film impossibly high with repetitious references to Nora Ephron classics like Sleepless in Seattle, Stone shows she's got spirit, but maybe not the best judgment, much like her protagonist. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Mar 24, 2018
62%	Take Your Pills (2018)	The steady stream of talking-head experts doesn't do much to raise the movie's pulse. Archival footage and animated sequences that augment the interview content don't move the needle appreciably, either. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Mar 15, 2018
68%	Wildling (2018)	Move over, Bigfoot. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Mar 12, 2018
97%	People's Republic of Desire (2018)	A revealing examination of contemporary Chinese Internet culture. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Mar 12, 2018
54%	At First Light (2018)	Lacking the flash of big-budget blockbusters or the originality of a uniquely imagined world instead leaves First Light trying to make the best of overly familiar sci-fi themes. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Mar 12, 2018
No Score Yet	The Push (2018)	A satisfying adrenaline high. - Hollywood Reporter EDIT Read More \| Posted Feb 26, 2018