The Art of Getting By (2011)

Featured Audience Ratings

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Elizabeth Reaser, Sam Robards, Rita Wilson, Alicia Silverstone, Blair Underwood, Sasha Spielberg Director: Gavin Wiesen Summary: Freddie Highmore stars in this romance tale as a teenage rebel with no time for textbooks,… More
  Cast: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Elizabeth Reaser, Sam Robards, Rita Wilson, Alicia Silverstone, Blair Underwood, Sasha Spielberg Director: Gavin Wiesen Summary: Freddie Highmore stars in this romance tale as a teenage rebel with no time for textbooks, but when he's given a glimmer of friendship with longtime crush Sally Howe, the trench-coated loner discovers that some feelings aren't too trite to explore. My Thoughts: "A dark, moody, brooding, teenage romance flick. It wasn't great but not awful either. Freddie Highmore does a great job as well as Emma Roberts. Some of it was a bit unrealistic but what's not in films. Perhaps better or more character development could have helped this film come along a bit better. But as it is, it wasn't a bad watch."

• Pedro H

  
  <i>The toughest lesson is love.</i> <b>Get away</b> This is a <b>lame</b>, with really bad acting, and a ,<b>horrible</b> story line. In this slow, and pointless movie you will not have any fun, so get away from it. It tells the story… More
  <i>The toughest lesson is love.</i> <b>Get away</b> This is a <b>lame</b>, with really bad acting, and a ,<b>horrible</b> story line. In this slow, and pointless movie you will not have any fun, so get away from it. It tells the story of this annoying teenager Geroge (Highmore) who claims he is depressed and never does any homework, but then he falls in love with Sally (Roberts) and she makes him do his homework. I mean really, the story of this movie is just ridiculous. It could have some potential, but the actors in this movie are just crap. Emma Roberts isn't bad, but Freddie Highmore, and Michael Angarano are so annoying on screen. The only worthwhile thing in this movie is the soundtrack, that includes some Belle & Sebastian, and maybe the photography and some pretty cool shots. But either than that its a lame movie, with annoying characters, it's just bad. <u>Harris McElroy:</u> <i>"You're going to have to start using that brain of yours to access that talent of yours to show that beautiful heart of yours. " </i>

• Josh M

  
  The Art of Getting By is an annoying coming of age flick, starring a character who no one will like, who is morose from top to bottom, and will evoke no sympathy from most viewers. The script is weak and regurgitates pieces from many other coming of age flicks, from The Graduate to… More
  The Art of Getting By is an annoying coming of age flick, starring a character who no one will like, who is morose from top to bottom, and will evoke no sympathy from most viewers. The script is weak and regurgitates pieces from many other coming of age flicks, from The Graduate to John Hughes to The Social Network. The story concerns a brilliant, disaffected art genius who is unmotivated in school and has no friends. Most of the movie takes place in the Manhattan school the kid is flunking out of. His mother and budding girlfriend are concerned about him. That's all the plot detail you need to know. Young English acting prodigy Freddie Highmore choses one moping, disaffected note and hammers it to death for the duration of the film. He's great in all his other films, but maybe adult life is not agreeing with his acting muse. As the love interest, Emma Roberts has a limited range, and though she's cute to look at, she doesn't have acting range like other peers, like Emma Stone or Cary Mulligan. However, the film falls down with its cliched script and tepid predictability. The supporting performances by Rita Wilson, Alicia Silverstone and Blair Underwood outshine the leads, which is not a good thing.On the plus side, nice Manhattan locations and lovely, obvious folk tunes on the sound track from the likes of Leonard Cohen. Unless you are writing a PHD thesis about coming of age flicks, don't bother.

• Manu G

  
  The toughest lesson is love. I liked it. Of course it doesn't have great acting or terrific actors but the story was catchy and it blended in slowly. Emma Roberts continues to improve little by little on her acting career although she still has a long way to go. Freddie Highmore… More
  The toughest lesson is love. I liked it. Of course it doesn't have great acting or terrific actors but the story was catchy and it blended in slowly. Emma Roberts continues to improve little by little on her acting career although she still has a long way to go. Freddie Highmore probably didn't do his best work here but it's nice to see him back in a movie. Enjoy. Quote that you are born alone, die alone and everything else is an illusion, George doesn't see the point of life, school, or homework. Then he meets Sally and he now has a reason to go to school and make friends, even if he's not ready to admit to himself or to her that he likes her. The school's principal and art teacher introduce him to an alumni, and successful artist, Dustin, who can help guide George along life's path, but other distractions start surfacing, and George might not even be able to graduate from high school.

• Liam G

  
  The performances in Gavin Wiesen's coming-of-age dramedy are solid. Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts and also Michael Angarano do a very good job with their roles. Emma Roberts' character is also pretty likeable, the problem is that, despite Highmore's best efforts, the… More
  The performances in Gavin Wiesen's coming-of-age dramedy are solid. Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts and also Michael Angarano do a very good job with their roles. Emma Roberts' character is also pretty likeable, the problem is that, despite Highmore's best efforts, the main protagonist, George, isn't that interesting. That can be said for ''The Art of Getting By'' as a whole. The dialogue is bland, the story is cliched and the main protagonist is uninteresting and at times unlikeable. It has a couple of sweet moments, but this is just your standard indie coming-of-age film that proves very forgettable.

• Jake .

  
  I watched this opening weekend, which I realize was a while ago now, but I kind of forgot about even going to this film. It the type of movie that you're never going to be totally sure as to if you have seen it or not; it's going to seem vaguely familiar either way. It does… More
  I watched this opening weekend, which I realize was a while ago now, but I kind of forgot about even going to this film. It the type of movie that you're never going to be totally sure as to if you have seen it or not; it's going to seem vaguely familiar either way. It does what it does; there really isn't all that much to it. Don't get me wrong, it's an enjoyable, pleasant film; it's just kind of mediocre. Yes it evokes every young adult novel you've ever read and every teen sundance film you've ever seen, but that doesn't really bother me much. I enjoy the trappings of indie films. The Art of Getting By may not really contribute anything new, but it garbles enough things that have worked in other films together so that it really isn't bad. It's entertainly forgettable. I wouldn't seek it out again, but it was a decent enough way to pass the time.

• Conner R

  
  I'm sure a lot of people could care less about this movie and its characters, but I really had a great connection with it. I think it has a lot to say and really breaks free from just telling a story about another slacker. Freddie Highmore has shifted promoted himself from being… More
  I'm sure a lot of people could care less about this movie and its characters, but I really had a great connection with it. I think it has a lot to say and really breaks free from just telling a story about another slacker. Freddie Highmore has shifted promoted himself from being the greatest child superstar to the greatest teen superstar. He plays emotions like a fiddle and gives a performance that is completely natural and true to the character. He's shy and naive, but at the same time he knows more than everyone else and just hates the idea of it. I thought it was interesting to have a character that wants to want to care, but doesn't know how. I also thought Emma Roberts did a great job and it's probably the best performance she's given so far. In many ways she's the high school crush that a lot of people had, but not in a glamorized way. She has flaws and weaknesses that are apparent throughout the movie. I'm not going to claim that The Art of Getting By doesn't follow a pattern of angsty teen dramas, but its execution and core is definitely unique. What it says within the formula is so honest and unattractive at times that it really just feels like we're seeing two people's lives and not just a movie. The way it's shot definitely helps out with this. You get a really life-like visual structure that doesn't just simply look good, it makes sense. The job was to center around the characters and this definitely succeeds in doing so. Now i'm sure this will be thrown into the typical indie teen movie that it was disguised as, but it really doesn't have any of those odd cliches. There's no penciled in credits, no overly quirky and weird moments, no exaggeration and no overbearing philosophical meaning. This movie is completely fine with being "normal", and I mean that in the best way possible.

• Steven C

  
  "The Art of Getting By" knows exactly what it wants to be. It wholeheartedly embraces it's 'hipster' attitude. The narrative is light and brisk but the themes and character development are a lot more honest than you might initially expect. The performances by… More
  "The Art of Getting By" knows exactly what it wants to be. It wholeheartedly embraces it's 'hipster' attitude. The narrative is light and brisk but the themes and character development are a lot more honest than you might initially expect. The performances by Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts, like the film itself, are charming and serviceable. These are two young actors whom certainly need to grow but are well on their way. Roberts is such a lovely presence that you simply just overlook the bumpy parts of her performance. Highmore connects when it's most important which also helps ease the questionable moments. The cinematography and soundtrack add much in the way of emotional connection and help keep the film alive and moving. "The Art of Getting By" is without a doubt an 'indie' film but it's ultimately worth your time for it's overall message, it's likable leads, and it's sensitive treatment of the confusion of adapting to 'the real world.'

• Dann M

  
  Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts deliver an interesting and somewhat unconventional romantic drama. The Art of Getting By is a character piece about two misfit high school students looking for deeper meaning, each in their own way, and eventually finding a kindred spirit in each… More
  Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts deliver an interesting and somewhat unconventional romantic drama. The Art of Getting By is a character piece about two misfit high school students looking for deeper meaning, each in their own way, and eventually finding a kindred spirit in each over. Both Highmore and Roberts give good performances and have a solid onscreen chemistry that gets the audience invested in their characters. However, there are a few side-plots being juggled that gum up the works and breaks down the flow of the film. Yet, The Art of Getting By gets by all the distractions and gives a sincere story about the struggle of adolescents and finding a way in the world.

• Dannielle A

  
  This is an indie film so people might not like it but I found it to be intriguing and heartwarming with a lot of good things to say about humanity.It's a charming story about adolescents finding themselves in the world. George realizes one day that he's going to die and he… More
  This is an indie film so people might not like it but I found it to be intriguing and heartwarming with a lot of good things to say about humanity.It's a charming story about adolescents finding themselves in the world. George realizes one day that he's going to die and he slips into a downward spiral of depression as he ponder the meaning of his existance and what he should do with the rest of his time on earth. Schoolwork seems meaningless and he finds it difficult to motivate himself to do it, even though he is brilliant, talented, and more than capable. He befriends Sally and eventually falls in love with her. I greatly identified with George's character. I felt so much in common with him and felt that if he were a real person, we'd be great friends. Freddie Highmore proves to transition beautifully from a child superstar into a talented adult actor. I always knew he would go on to great things. I can't wait to see what he does next. The movie doesn't have a lot of action, it's mostly about relationships, and that's fine with me.

• Panta O

  
  George (Freddie Highmore) is a fatalistic high school senior who is a gifted artist but he is often haunted by the realization that everything seems meaningless. As a result, he is put on academic probation... some things start to change when he meets Sally (Emma Roberts) and though… More
  George (Freddie Highmore) is a fatalistic high school senior who is a gifted artist but he is often haunted by the realization that everything seems meaningless. As a result, he is put on academic probation... some things start to change when he meets Sally (Emma Roberts) and though George is at first reluctant to talk to her, he soon warms up and they become close. I thought that the start was very promising... and slowly building up somehow was matching the growing up of our hero with the same pace... but at the end there was not much to see as a result. Youthfully amusing, interesting and at moments insightful but there is still lot lacking: especially answering why suddenly everything changed when almost none of the questions troubling the young man were really answered or even addressed! Actors did what they could do with such unfinished screenplay...

• Burger S

  
  A little depressing, boring and worse, predictable.

• Ryan M

  
  ** out of **** It's really a damn shame that Gavin Wiesen's "The Art of Getting By" doesn't end up being anything more than what the basic plot description suggests. The protagonist of the story is George (Freddy Highmore); an intellectual who staggers… More
  ** out of **** It's really a damn shame that Gavin Wiesen's "The Art of Getting By" doesn't end up being anything more than what the basic plot description suggests. The protagonist of the story is George (Freddy Highmore); an intellectual who staggers socially and - in the classroom - academically. His life is a great big mess both at home and at school. He fails to maintain a successful relationship with either his mother or his step-father; while both on and off school-grounds, he lacks proper friends. But then again, he doesn't care; because he sees no point in living. We're all going to die someday; this is all a big nothing. That's essential his life philosophy; and oh, he'll stick with it. This is a film of many wrongs; and the hero is one of them. Sure, we've all felt like George before; and given this, Wiesen expects us to relate to the character. However, he has miscalculated his own movie; for the character writing here is so terribly off. George proclaims that he is allergic to homework; but very much drawn to art, philosophy, and literature. Simply put, he does what interests him; and only that. So if something at school bores him to death, he's not going to do it. With that being said, I think it's clear that he isn't a very likable protagonist. Still, Wiesen has a story to tell; and in under 90-minutes, no less. So he creates this big ol' cliché teen love story to throw into the mix; and it takes up a lot of the film. Maybe this is a good thing, because I'd rather watch George fall in love for the first time than listen to the pretentious bastard speak for any longer than a minute. The girl is Sally (Emma Roberts). She goes to school with George, and has for some time now, although they're just beginning to notice each-other. Sally sees something in him; and he's just happy to have someone give a damn about his existence, because he certainly doesn't care much about it himself. Both New York City residents; the two central characters go on dates, go to parties, have sleepovers, and experience new things along the way. I suppose "The Art of Getting By" is - to put it frankly but vaguely - a film all about experiences. We all have them; and we almost always value them, good or bad. The film takes us through the times both good and bad, for this character, although Wiesen - who also wrote the script - lacks the writer's craft; which would have allowed him the skill and artistry to write a decent script for a suitably decent film. "The Art of Getting By" lacks depth and aim; I don't know where the inspiration to write this script came from, but it can't be anywhere particularly good. Nevertheless, the film still ends up being watchable, at best. Passable escapism it is; although some might disagree, given that many have written it off completely. This is understandable and all -since this is so very far from a good film - but I had some sympathy for the material in spite of its uneven and unpolished nature. Wiesen shows promise as a filmmaker, and the film makes use of its New York setting (for the most part). But until he can come up with a script that works; this might just be what we're supposed to expect out of him in the near future. Let's hope I'm wrong. This film was probably intended for an intellectual audience that can possibly connect with its eccentric protagonist; although I wonder how many movie-goers will feel exactly how he does, in the end. Do most people choose to be cynical assholes? Do most people disconnect themselves from the social scene of High School like George does? Wiesen definitely has some good ideas going; but the film lacks execution and therefore gives us very little to actually talk about. "The Art of Getting By" just barely masters the second part of its title.

• Christopher H

  
  Perhaps it is my own crush on Emma Roberts that sells this film so well for me, but The Art Of Getting By, despite its many flaws, comes across very grounded and truthful. Freddie Highmore plays the overwhelmed George, who abandons higher learning to sulk at his own mortality. That is… More
  Perhaps it is my own crush on Emma Roberts that sells this film so well for me, but The Art Of Getting By, despite its many flaws, comes across very grounded and truthful. Freddie Highmore plays the overwhelmed George, who abandons higher learning to sulk at his own mortality. That is until he meets Emma Roberts' character, Sally, who proves to be the perfect motivator. Emma is becoming one of my favorite young actresses, with thoughtful eyes and endearing smiles, her performance makes this film. Another great performance comes from Michael Angarano, in his best showing yet, displaying a maturity and sensibility that is lacking in a majority of current actors.

• Angel G

  
  The movie mostly is cuting class and enjoynig noodles, and I wish I be those characters, but its also about true love, and of course this wont win an Oscar, but this film has good influence on the teeneger drama, and its leads are great in this film, so cuting class is a detention,… More
  The movie mostly is cuting class and enjoynig noodles, and I wish I be those characters, but its also about true love, and of course this wont win an Oscar, but this film has good influence on the teeneger drama, and its leads are great in this film, so cuting class is a detention, but the film itself works for a B+ in a test.

• Maymay A

  
  The Art of Getting By is a junk composed of a dull and uninteresting screenplay, a bunch of annoying characters, and overflowing nothingness to offer its viewers. Even the lead is irritating. He's just a lost, stubborn teen who did nothing but to make excuses for his frailties… More
  The Art of Getting By is a junk composed of a dull and uninteresting screenplay, a bunch of annoying characters, and overflowing nothingness to offer its viewers. Even the lead is irritating. He's just a lost, stubborn teen who did nothing but to make excuses for his frailties who happens to meet slut. Don't get me wrong though. I despise the character but I love the actor. If there was something good about this film, it's seeing the talented and charming kid I was very fond of in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland and even in Spiderwick Chronicles turned into a beautiful young man. And my previous statement was kind of funny because he's older than me.

• Noah N

  
  'The Art of Getting By' (2011) is a stylized cult film, that may be supportive and/or relevant to some kids and young adults. It's an interesting experience.

• ernest e

  
  Very strong centered character in the wrong place. If this was my script he would have met a zenmaster and learned the art of meditation and he certainly would reach enlightenment. Unfortunately the messed up society got him back in this movie. It shows a single individual capable… More
  Very strong centered character in the wrong place. If this was my script he would have met a zenmaster and learned the art of meditation and he certainly would reach enlightenment. Unfortunately the messed up society got him back in this movie. It shows a single individual capable of living in freedom although confused and a litlle depressed, lots of truths arise here that 99% people are not capable of understanding.

• Henrik S

  
  An underwhelming coming of age story that could have been Freddie Highmore's vehicle to greatness and serious acting but it falls flat. The story is nothing to write home about, boy meets girl and that's it. The film is very corny and has a distinct 'American' feel… More
  An underwhelming coming of age story that could have been Freddie Highmore's vehicle to greatness and serious acting but it falls flat. The story is nothing to write home about, boy meets girl and that's it. The film is very corny and has a distinct 'American' feel about it. Despite all the differences in persoanlity, philosophiy, outlook on life, in the end, we are ALL the same and can be best friends with white teeth, unfortuantely, this is not how the world works and instead of a serious discussion of matters of loneliness and issues of growing up, the film is a fairy tale, tennage drama as deep and thoughtful as a short story in a girlie magazine. Freddie Highmore is a cute boy but there is not much for him to do here apart from being slightly irritated all the time and as much as I agree that he should be in more films, he is no match for the beauty of Emma Roberts and in real life, she would never as much as look at him, so that is just awful casting right there. Anyhow, the film lacks charme and innovation and fails to deliver on what it tries to be, a thoughtful b-movie set in the art scene. No art, no thougtfulness and it's a C-movie at best. Not worth it.

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