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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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79
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78
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76
Silent Light
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69
Just Another Love Story
69
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67
Synecdoche, New York
66
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Scott Walker: 30 Century Man
64
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63
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American Affair, An
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Echelon Conspiracy
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House of the Sleeping Beauties
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Lodger, The
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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
|
Black Balloon, The
NeoClassics Films Ltd
MPAA RATING: Not Rated
Starring
Toni Collette,
Rhys Wakefield,
Luke Ford,
Erik Thomson,
and
Gemma Ward
When Thomas and his family move to a new home and he has to start at a new school, all he wants is to fit in. When his pregnant mother has to take things easy, his father Simon puts him in charge of his autistic older brother Charlie. Thomas, with the help of his new girlfriend Jackie, faces his biggest challenge yet. Charlie's unusual antics take Thomas on an emotional journey that causes his pent-up frustrations about his brother to pour out - in a story that is funny, confronting, and ultimately heart-warming. (NeoClassics Films Ltd)
| GENRE(S): |
Drama
|
| WRITTEN BY: |
Elissa Down
Jimmy Jack
|
| DIRECTED BY: |
Elissa Down
|
| RELEASE DATE: |
Theatrical: December 5, 2008
|
| RUNNING TIME: |
97 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: |
Australia |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
80
Los Angeles Times
Sheri Linden
For the most part, this unblinking family drama packs a visceral punch. Thomas' journey toward acceptance is blessedly free of noble lessons and filled with real people.
75
New York Post
Lou Lumenick
Doesn't sugarcoat the difficulties faced by this family, but this small gem has a very satisfying ending.
70
The New York Times
Stephen Holden
Ms. Collette’s Maggie is the film's prime mover. This wonderful Australian actress, who hasn't a shred of vanity, virtually disappears into the complicated characters she plays, and Maggie is one of the strongest.
70
The Hollywood Reporter
Megan Lehmann
Much has been made of supermodel Gemma Ward's doll-like features, but there's nothing plastic about her debut performance in the charming Australian indie The Black Balloon.
70
Variety
Russell Edwards
Collette acts as an anchor for the ensemble, but the young leads credibly hold their own onscreen.
70
Village Voice
Scott Foundas
Within its resolutely mainstream parameters, The Black Balloon courses with a firsthand feel for languorous Aussie summers, the shifting scales of love and hate in sibling relationships, and the earned wit that helps families cope with difficult situations.
67
Entertainment Weekly
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Toni Collette gives it the old "Little Miss Sunshine" try in The Black Balloon as an edge-of-kooky, very pregnant mama presiding over a chaotic household.
 The average user rating for this movie is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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