The Critic

Name: The Critic
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Released: 2024-09-13
Duration: 1 h 41 min
Rating: 5.8
Cast: Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Ben Barnes

2024·Movie·R·101 min·★ 5.8(113)

Thriller Crime Drama Mystery More English titles

“Ambition seduces. Power corrupts.”

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.

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Where to watch The Critic in United States

Can I watch The Critic in United States? Yes — you can stream The Critic in United States on Philo, Starz Apple TV Channel, and Starz Roku Premium Channel, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

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Click a service to open The Critic there. Availability last verified on July 25, 2026.

Where is The Critic streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Philo, Starz Apple TV Channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel, YouTube TV	Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
India	Netflix	—
United Kingdom	Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads	Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video
Canada	—	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Australia	—	JustWatch TV, Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Germany	WOW, Wow Fiction Amazon Channel	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store
France	Cine+ OCS Amazon Channel , SFR Play	—
Spain	Movistar Plus+ Ficción Total , SkyShowtime	Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Google Play Movies
Brazil	Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads	Claro video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies

About The Critic

The Critic is a 2024 English-language thriller, crime and drama film directed by Anand Tucker. The cast is led by Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong. It has a runtime of 1h 41m. Viewers rate it 5.8/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Philo, Starz Apple TV Channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel.

The Critic was produced by BK Studios, Seven Stories, and Greenwich Entertainment and made in United Kingdom. It was released on September 13, 2024, and carries a R certification. At the box office it grossed around $1 million worldwide.

Director: Anand Tucker
Writers: Patrick Marber
Release date: September 13, 2024
OTT release: October 29, 2024
Original language: English
Age rating: R
Status: Released
Country: United Kingdom
Box office: $1 million
Production: BK Studios, Seven Stories, Greenwich Entertainment

#blackmail#deception#murder#critic#1930s#stage actress#theatre#actress

The Critic cast & crew

The Critic was directed by Anand Tucker and written by Patrick Marber.

The cast features Ian McKellen as Jimmy Erskine, Gemma Arterton as Nina Land, Mark Strong as David Brooke, Lesley Manville as Annabel Land, Ben Barnes as Stephen Wyley, and Romola Garai as Cora Wyley.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Craig Armstrong, cinematography is by David Higgs, and it was produced by David Gilbery and Mark Gordon.

Is The Critic worth watching?

The Critic holds an audience score of 5.8/10 from 113 ratings, a more divisive thriller films.

At 1h 41m, it's a standard feature-length watch.

If you enjoy thriller, crime, and drama, The Critic is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch The Critic

In United States, you can stream The Critic on Philo, Starz Apple TV Channel, Starz Roku Premium Channel, YouTube TV, and Starz, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

It first became available to stream digitally on October 29, 2024.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.