Margaret

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Margaret

R

Released Sep 30, 2011

2h 29m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

75%

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103 Reviews

49%

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5,000+ Ratings

New York high-school student Lisa Cohen (Anna Paquin) inadvertently causes an accident in which a bus driver (Mark Ruffalo) runs over a pedestrian (Allison Janney). Guilt-stricken over her role in the woman's death, Lisa's mood swings from normal to furious, with her angry outbursts mostly directed at her mother (J. Smith-Cameron). Lisa reaches out to the dead woman's best friend (Jeannie Berlin) and the bus driver, but her failed efforts to make amends only lead to more hostility.

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Critics Consensus

A surfeit of ideas contributes to Margaret's excessive run time, but Anna Paquin does a admirable job of guiding viewers through emotional hell.

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

This is frayed-edges filmmaking at its finest.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 28, 2024

Full Review

Guy Lodge

Empire Magazine

Knotty, ambitious and trading in messy human truths, it's the work of a master dramatist. Here's hoping Lonergan's next one reaches us a little faster.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 29, 2014

Full Review

Nicholas Barber

Independent (UK)

Margaret is less about plot mechanics than about the virtuosity of the dialogue, the complexity of the characters, and the detail and depth of their untidy world.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 29, 2014

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

It’s a powerful, provocative, ambitious drama set in the shadow of September 11, 2001, a marvelously messy film about the messiness of emotions and people and relationships, especially as they are tested in extreme circumstances.

Apr 26, 2025

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CJ Sheu

Review Film Review

[This] is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a William Gaddis adaptation, [...] [in which people] talk to each other and to Lisa [an astounding Anna Paquin], and Lisa talks to them, but nobody’s listening.

Jul 7, 2022

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Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

This is a movie so dense and somewhat sloppy, somewhat wonderfully so, that I don't know I can do it any justice

Jul 2, 2021

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Ed .

Are you there, God? If so, why did you allow someone to make Margaret and why didn't you warn me in advance? My friend and I thought this was the most annoying film ever made. Oleanna from David Mamet featured dialog that was intentionally annoying. I doubt those who lent a hand to Margaret intended the same.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/29/25

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Dani G

Kind of "soap opera - ish" at times, but kind of tragic, but no, in the end no... It's just life

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/23/25

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John A

The scenes that precede the plot's ratcheting tension have far more precision and focus than what follows. Kenneth Lonergan certainly has made better movies. 'Margaret' gets less and less involving as the runtime grows more and more

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/12/25

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Horror fan 4

A terrific performance by Anna paquin as Lisa. Loved the story and direction. Would've loved to have seen more of Allison janney and Mark ruffalo. Tim Treakle

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

07/09/24

Full Review

Ravenswood R

About half way through the extended version, Anna Paquin takes public transportation from Manhattan to Brooklyn to arrive unannounced at Mark Ruffalo's home where she asks to use the bathroom. We are treated to a shot of her on the toilet where she takes a shit, the cute little plop of which we clearly hear on the soundtrack. A very moving scene. A cinematic triumph. The film *should* have ended there, but it goes on for another 90+ minutes in which Ms. Paquin gets increasingly hysterical for reasons which are not entirely clear, but at least we know her mental instability is not caused by constipation.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/09/23

Full Review

John J

A masterpiece. One of the best movies I've ever seen. The low ratings are testimony to the moral complexity of the movie that most people cannot manage.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/05/23

Full Review

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Kenneth Lonergan

Director

Anna Paquin

Lisa Cohen

J. Smith-Cameron

Joan

Jean Reno

Ramon

Jeannie Berlin

Emily

Allison Janney

Monica

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Critics Consensus: 50/50 is Certified Fresh

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Synopsis

New York high-school student Lisa Cohen (Anna Paquin) inadvertently causes an accident in which a bus driver (Mark Ruffalo) runs over a pedestrian (Allison Janney). Guilt-stricken over her role in the woman's death, Lisa's mood swings from normal to furious, with her angry outbursts mostly directed at her mother (J. Smith-Cameron). Lisa reaches out to the dead woman's best friend (Jeannie Berlin) and the bus driver, but her failed efforts to make amends only lead to more hostility.

Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Producer: Sydney Pollack, Gary Gilbert, Scott Rudin
Screenwriter: Kenneth Lonergan
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Scott Rudin Productions, Fox Searchlight, Mirage Enterprises, Camelot Pictures
Rating: R (Sexuality|Disturbing Images|Some Drug Use|Strong Language)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 30, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $46.5K
Runtime: 2h 29m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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