Critic Reviews

• Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

  A high-concept comedy that peddles some slapstick laughs and life lessons but little insight.

• Tom Long, Detroit News

  This is froth, but it's good froth.

• Soren Anderson, Seattle Times

  Rather than a jolting shot of joe, this French-Canadian comedy is a soothing cup of warm cocoa.

• John Anderson, Newsday

  "Starbuck" is essentially a situation comedy, but what a situation.

• Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

  Never mind high concept, this is high conception.

• Steven Boone, Chicago Sun-Times

  "Starbuck" is one of those high-concept yet formulaic, sitcom-like comedies that gets by on charm and speed.

• Al Alexander, The Patriot Ledger

  Like they say in the sperm-donation business, it's all in the genes, and Huard possesses the ideal DNA to breed 'Starbuck' into quite a stud.

• Mathew DeKinder, Suburban Journals of St. Louis

  The other reason "Starbuck" succeeds as a movie is that it goes more for the heart than for the big laughs.

• Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion

  Despite (or because of) Huard's mugging, 'Starbuck' is more likely to cause queasiness than smiles of contentment.

• Sean O'Connell, CinemaBlend.com

  It's a far-fetched premise, though one that's brought down to Earth by Scott's emotionally upbeat writing, his brisk direction, and Huard's nimble, large-hearted performance.

• Marjorie Baumgarten, Austin Chronicle

  What begins as a cute idea grows annoyingly sentimental before it is through.

• Kelly Vance, East Bay Express

  Trite-sounding comic premise is lifted by a winning performance by Patrick Huard.

• Marc Mohan, Oregonian

  For a story about a man on the cusp of belated adulthood, "Starbuck" has some growing up of its own to do.

• Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews

  The screenplay, by director Ken Scott and Michael Petit is a true original.

• Andrea Chase, Killer Movie Reviews

  The pace is leisurely, the coincidences just a little too pat, but the momentum Huard brings to this befuddled human being has too much heart to let that matter

• Simon Brookfield, We Got This Covered

  While overly contrived and often slight, Starbuck is a feel-good comedy to be rivalled and benefits immensely from a snappy, wry screenplay and charming performance from Huard.

• Ian Buckwalter, Washington City Paper

  Scott's take on the importance of family is an admirable one, to a point, until it moves past that to espouse an uncomfortably regressive morality.

• James Verniere, Boston Herald

  'Starbuck' is no father figure

• Mark Dujsik, Mark Reviews Movies

  Like its likeable loser hero ... the movie aims for a lower rung, grabs the bar, and, without much ambition to guide it, hangs there with no desire to climb any higher.

Read all 19 critic reviews