50
Metascore
11 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 70VarietyJoe LeydonVarietyJoe LeydonFirst-time feature helmer Brian Crano maneuvers some tricky tonal shifts with impressive ease in A Bag of Hammers, a droll, quirky comedy with a pleasant amount of heart.
- 67The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe film has an earnest quality that asserts itself more and more as it sputters along, and the men reveal more personal reasons to insert themselves into the boy's life. It's a good lesson for other films of its ilk: Leaving the world of indie disaffection is an important first step on the road to greatness.
- 60Village VoiceVillage VoiceA few striking performances - Ritter, Preston, and Canterbury are especially great - smooth out what might have been a much bumpier ride.
- 60New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanWoven amid the glib one-liners and contrived scenarios is an unexpected, and undeniably touching, sense of heart.
- 50Slant MagazineAndrew SchenkerSlant MagazineAndrew SchenkerSuffers from both an odd, ineffective structure and a low-key tone that jars uncomfortably with the subject matter and makes the film's stakes seem unnecessary low.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeA dicey blend that generates viewer goodwill but can't make its conflicting vibes gel, A Bag of Hammers will play best with the most soft-hearted viewers provided they don't mind rooting for unrepentant felons.
- Any film tossing comic interludes among its closing credits has to be convinced of their hilarity and of the good will the movie has earned with viewers by then. Perhaps the film's naked traffic in sentiment up to that point made Mr. Crano so bold. Whatever; his confidence was unwarranted.
- 50New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickRebecca Hall is wasted as Sandvig's sister and the film's voice of reason.
- 20Time OutNick SchagerTime OutNick SchagerThe real scam was the filmmakers tricking Rebecca Hall (and a cameoing Amanda Seyfried) into participating in this blunt instrument of an indie.