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Brightest Star Photos

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Movie Info

After his girlfriend dumps him, a young man (Chris Lowell) tries to become the kind of person she desires, but his growing love for a singer (Jessica Szohr) and some advice from an astronomer (Allison Janney) help him remain true to himself.

Genre:

comedy, romance, drama
Original Language:

English
Director:

Maggie Kiley
Producer:

Jason Potash, Paul Finkel, Kyle Heller, Gina Resnick
Writer:

Maggie Kiley, Matthew Mullen
Release Date (Theaters):

Jan 31, 2014 limited
Release Date (Streaming):

Jan 22, 2017
Runtime:

1h 20m
Production Co:

What a World Productions, Storyboard Entertainment

Cast & Crew

Chris Lowell
The Boy

Jessica Szohr
Lita

Allison Janney
The Astronomer

Clark Gregg
Mr. Markovic

Rose McIver
Charlotte

Peter Jacobson
Dr. Lambert

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Brightest Star

Critics Consensus: That Awkward Moment When Your Movie is Rotten

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Critic Reviews for Brightest Star

All Critics (15) | Top Critics (8) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (13)

This is a movie that so privileges the perspective of the good-looking foofy-haired white male that it makes you understand the absolutely pejorative aspect of the term "heteronormative."

January 31, 2014 | Rating: 1.5/4 | Full Review…

Glenn Kenny
RogerEbert.com
Lowell's considerable charm goes a long way toward filling in the gaps and the story's emphasis on self-discovery over romantic couplings supplies enough interest to sustain the brisk 80-minute running time.

January 30, 2014 | Full Review…

Geoff Berkshire
Variety
Gives us a story of love among 20-somethings without telling us enough about the main characters to indicate why we should care about their perfectly ordinary entanglements.

January 30, 2014 | Full Review…

Neil Genzlinger
New York Times
Beware any movie that talks about what it is before being what it is.

January 30, 2014 | Full Review…

Robert Abele
Los Angeles Times
Straining to meld a love triangle with an astronomy lesson, the rom-com "The Brightest Star" disappears into a black hole of clich.

January 30, 2014 | Rating: 1/4 | Full Review…

Kyle Smith
New York Post
Far from burning bright, this earnest indie starts out dull and gets duller.

January 30, 2014 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

Joe Neumaier
New York Daily News
The chief problem is that no matter what the nameless dude is up to, it hardly seems to matter.

February 7, 2014 | Rating: 2.0/5 | Full Review…

Andrew Lapin
The Dissolve
Shallow, contrived, toothless and ultimately forgettable.

February 2, 2014 | Rating: 5/10 | Full Review…

Avi Offer
NYC Movie Guru
Notable for its effective performances and for the sincerity with which it tries to capture the confusion of young adulthood, but it often chooses simplicity over depth.

January 31, 2014 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat
Brightest Star is a dim boy-meets-girl relationship drama that is low on conflict and charm, despite a relatable premise and a strong young ensemble.

January 30, 2014 | Rating: 4/10 | Full Review…

Jordan Adler
We Got This Covered
For all the Hollywood obsession with high-concept and special effects, sometimes there's something enchanting about a simple story simply told, and a movie of small rather than grand gestures.

January 30, 2014 | Rating: 7/10 | Full Review…

Brent Simon
Paste Magazine
Nicely acted coming-of-age story feels oddly dated and lacks resonance.

January 30, 2014 | Full Review…

Simi Horwitz
Film Journal International