Mutual Appreciation

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Mutual Appreciation

R

Released Sep 1, 2006

1h 50m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A young musician (Justin Rice) from Boston arrives in New York following the breakup of his band. As he tries to figure out the next step in his career path, he spends time with his friends (Rachel Clift, Andrew Bujalski) and enjoys the romantic overtures of a radio disc jockey (Seung-Min Lee).

Critics Consensus

Director Bujalski continues to give cinematic voice to awkward, literate twentysomethings with noteworthy smarts and tenderness.

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Bujalski has a logical eye for parsing casually unfolding events with visual coherence, and his dryly satirical view of grownups' fatuities doesn't lose sight of the charming vanity of youthful illusions.

Dec 21, 2020

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Amy Taubin

Film Comment Magazine

I bet Andrew Bujalski is sick of reading that he's the voice of his generation, when most of that neo-slacker demographic has never had the opportunity to see his films.

Mar 20, 2018

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

You'll either be bored or fascinated by the Cassavetes-like reality of it all.

Rated: 2/5

May 4, 2007

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Kathy Fennessy

Seattle Film Blog

As much as Mutual Appreciation is like indie rock, it's even more like real life.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 6, 2022

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Eileen Jones

The eXile

Mutual Appreciation is a crappy-looking film in a tame, undistinctive, messy black-and-white way.

Jan 28, 2019

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Nick Pinkerton

Stop Smiling

If much of what I dislike in Bujalski's filmmaking must be accounted for by my objection to the milieu his films travel in, this shouldn't suggest that the filmmaking itself is anything close to competent.

Aug 24, 2017

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Audience Member

I love mumblecore but couldn't get into Andrew Bujalski's sophomore film. Will watch it again eventually to see if I missed anything.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

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Audience Member

Not as fresh as "Funny Ha Ha", and a bit too long, but still masterfully executed and profound piece of reality.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Audience Member

Argh! I thought I rated this here, but I guess I forgot. It's been awhile so I don't know that I can say anything specific about it except that I liked it a lot. The characters were likeable, even with their flaws, and the mumblecore "formula" really works here in a more traditional narrative sense. Bujualski is smoother than in Funny Ha Ha and his storytelling is more refined.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

With his first three films, Bujalski has shown a mastery of film form and the ability to reveal the humanity of mostly aimless young adults in the current generation. Bujalski trusts the writing (which is anything but heavy on exposition), as well as the camera and the movements of those on camera to draw out the unique personalities of these characters. MA's lack of a classical narrative arc doesn't keep it from being a revealing and incisive portrait on a most misunderstood group of people.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

A lo-fi slacker dramedy that is entertaining, but doesn't have much to say.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

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Audience Member

one of the things that makes "mutual appreciation" such a gem of modern indie cinema is the way the characters interact with each other. it feels so believable, almost like these aren't actors, but rather a documentary. there are many subtle jokes that characters will make that go unnoticed to the other characters, making it feel all the more realistic. after watching this, i have become very interested in seeing moire of director andrew bujalski's work.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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Andrew Bujalski

Director

Justin Rice

Alan

Rachel Clift

Ellie

Andrew Bujalski

Lawrence

Seung-Min Lee

Sara

Pamela Corkey

Patricia

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Synopsis

A young musician (Justin Rice) from Boston arrives in New York following the breakup of his band. As he tries to figure out the next step in his career path, he spends time with his friends (Rachel Clift, Andrew Bujalski) and enjoys the romantic overtures of a radio disc jockey (Seung-Min Lee).

Director: Andrew Bujalski
Screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski
Production Co: Mutual Appreciation LLC
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 1, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 7, 2020
Runtime: 1h 50m

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