The Critic( 2024)

TV-MADramaThrillerCrime

49%

User
Score

Ambition seduces. Power corrupts.

Overview

Jimmy Erskine is the most feared theatre critic of the age. He lives as flamboyantly as he writes and takes pleasure in savagely taking down any actor who fails to meet his standards. When the owner of the Daily Chronicle dies, and his son takes over, Jimmy quickly finds himself at odds with his new boss and his position under threat. In an attempt to preserve the power and influence he holds so sacred, Jimmy strikes a Faustian pact with a struggling actress, entangling them and the boss in a thrilling but deadly web of desire, blackmail, and betrayal.

Top Billed Cast

Ian McKellen
Jimmy Erskine
Gemma Arterton
Nina Land
Mark Strong
David Brooke
Lesley Manville
Annabel Land
Ben Barnes
Stephen Wyley
Romola Garai
Cora Wyley
Alfred Enoch
Tom Tunner
Ron Cook
Hugh Morris
Claire Skinner
Mary Brooke
Matthew Cottle
Graham Meadows
Beau Gadsdon
Freya
Nikesh Patel
Ferdy Harwood
Rebecca Gethings
Joan
Éva Magyar
Dolly Langdon
Jay Simpson
Slyfield
Jacob James Beswick
Robbie
Nicholas Bishop
Richard Pugh
Albie Marber
Lennie
Grant Crookes
Critic
Debra Gillett
Mrs. Keefe
Jake Neads
Flamineo
Griffin Stevens
Lodovico
Joe Coen
Brachiano
Oliver Shaw
Rowan
Avye Leventis
Lizzie
Tom Padley
Police Officer
Jonathan Sparrow
Stage Hand (uncredited)

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A review by CinemaSerf

Written by CinemaSerf on Sun Sep 22 2024

If you saw Sir Ian McKellen with fellow thesp Sir Derek Jacobi in the television sitcom "Vicious" from around ten years ago, you'll be able to anticipate the gist of his characterisation of the acerbic theatre critic "Erskine" who is way more famed for distributing bile rather than bouquets. His new boss (Mark Strong) wants the newspaper to appeal to an altogether more wholesome family audience and so wants him to tone things down a bit. "Yeah, right" thinks he - and then his own behaviour gets him into trouble with the police and given one month's notice from his job. Facing looming ignominy, ...