Admission

Admission is not especially funny. The trailer can’t seem to make up its mind. On the one hand, it looks like a satire of academia. On the other hand, it could be a gentle rom-com. In truth, it’s neither.

She’s (Fey) so good that — up to a point — you can ignore Paul Weitz’ erratic direction and a patchy script, both of which clumsily handle shifts between comedy and drama.

Lily Tomlin gives the movie a boost as Portia's radical feminist mother, who would hate this movie.

I'd see Tina Fey and Paul Rudd in anything, but this is pushing it. Admission is so slight that a breeze could flatten it.

Actions do have their consequences, though, and Weitz doesn’t try to end things too tidily for their own good. Were only that he had succeeded in committing to one of those films over the other, then Admission might have been this year’s “Liberal Arts” rather than this year’s “Smart People.”

While Admission remains the story of a woman who comes to question her past choices and jeopardize her career, the movie version is lighter, fluffier and dramatically inert.

The bad news about Admission is that this thin envelope of a comedy checks all the boxes for being a phoned-in, phony, padded rom-com.

My wife and I LOVED this movie. Charming, charming, charming. I don't usually disagree vehemently with the roster of professional critics, but with this movie, I am baffled by the low scores. Paul Rudd and Tina Fey are wonderful, the script is delightful, and puts the viewer a little off balance, keeping the surprise element always in play. We don't like predictable scripts, and this was far from it; two original characters, who travel a wonderfully circuitous path toward the "happy ending." This movie was one of our favorites of the year. We're so tired of the mega-violent and teen-angst flicks that Hollywood is perpetually foisting on the public. It was so refreshing to go to the movies and laugh, smile, empathize, and simply dream along with the lead characters. This review wouldn't be complete without a tip of the hat to Lily Tomlin, who puts in a stellar performance, playing Tina Fey's stridently feminist author mother. Wonderful! Please go see this movie, and take your friends and family. You will be thankful that you did.

Tina Fey’s character Portia is very interesting, her life is monotonous and predictable, she’s the opposite of her mom, who is brilliantly played by Lily Tomlin. Portia is almost obsessed by the idea of not turning into her free spirited mother, so she has one of those boring, perfectly controlled life, and it made for an interesting journey when everything started to crumble. The movie is not as predictive as I expected it to be. It’s not the best movie ever but it has its charms, and feels very realistic at times. Obviously with Tina Fey and Paul Rudd there is some comic relief but giving the premise it would have been foolish to expect a full on comedy - that would have been a mistake - so the movie is a little bit of both a drama and a comedy with some romance thrown into it. It has a British feel to it but giving that it’s an American film it seems a bit off. Admission is a quirky little film with a lot of charms and a British flair about it. I enjoyed it. @wornoutspines

Despite problems in the third act, Admission is a solid comedy about the search and reunion of a Mother and her long-lost child. The film is typical in many ways--but I don't recall having ever seen an admissions office featured on screen.

Admission, directed by Paul Weitz, was a worthy flick to see, but had some things lacking. For example, development, strong emotion, and not enough jokes. It stood as a glorified dramedy romcom, but it seems as if anything else could knock it over. This Apatow-like film did have a couple of funny moments, as well as some drama, but 75% of the time it was a quick scene, cheesy, or both. The likable Tina Fey and Paul Rudd did play the parts well, and I found myself liking their characters and wanting more. But, there shall be no Admission 2. In summation, this movie felt like an Apatow-directed jumble of emotion, drama, and comedy, and sometimes it didn't know where it was going. If the foundation had been stronger, this movie would not have suffered so much. And as a final note, of course The Princeton dean of admissions would leave his office door open and his computer password on a picture frame for anyone to see and get access to his computer with incredibly important files.

Just another dreary American romantic comedy with plastic dialogue and people lying their asses off while acting in an inauthentic and non- believable manner. Typical double standard BS with the man pursuing and the "little girl" playing hard to get. Sickening and completely false in both real life and how the actual written characters were. Besides all that, this version is a twisted perversion of a fine novel. Nothing in this saccharine version is true to the story or characters. A total mockery. I gave it a two instead of a one because I laughed out loud at something Tina Fey said to a cow - not that anything like that was in the book either. Also she is easy on the eyes - Fey, not the cow.