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Margaret

Play trailer Poster for Margaret R 2011 2h 29m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 103 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 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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Margaret

Margaret

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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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Critics Reviews

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Keith Uhlich Time Out 08/28/2024
5/5
This is frayed-edges filmmaking at its finest. Go to Full Review Guy Lodge Empire Magazine 09/29/2014
4/5
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. Go to Full Review Nicholas Barber Independent (UK) 09/29/2014
4/5
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. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Apr 26
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. Go to Full Review CJ Sheu Review Film Review 07/07/2022
[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. Go to Full Review Jason Adams My New Plaid Pants 07/02/2021
This is a movie so dense and somewhat sloppy, somewhat wonderfully so, that I don't know I can do it any justice Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Maarit L @Komedienne Sep 26 It is interesting to watch a film, Where the main character is not someone whose side are tou. Very good script. Some Haneke vibes (mother/daughter relationship, Classical music etc) See more Ed . Aug 29 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. See more Dani G Jul 23 Kind of "soap opera - ish" at times, but kind of tragic, but no, in the end no... It's just life See more John A @ExcessMale 08/31/2024 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 See more Horror fan 4 07/09/2024 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 See more Ravenswood R 10/07/2023 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. See more Read all reviews
Margaret

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Cast & Crew

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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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Margaret

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Movie Info

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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