Ashby

It doesn't hurt to have excellent support from the likes of Emma Roberts (as Ed's love interest Eloise) and Sarah Silverman, surprisingly winning as Ed's affection-starved mother. But it's Wolff and Rourke who have to carry the load, and for the most part they do.

A winning film about reconciling one's self-image with reality.

McNamara attempts to keep the movie ticking right along, and for all its half-cocked plotlines, Ashby is able to maintain a consistently humorous and light tone.

Rourke, whose face has become an inexpressive waxwork in recent years, doesn’t do much with what’s already a pretty undercooked role.

McNamara’s second directorial feature (following 2003’s Aussie “The Rage in Placid Lake,” another teenage-misfits-make-good comedy) winds up a poorly mixed bowl of mismatched ingredients that is nonetheless tepidly, forgettably digestible.

Ashby is a movie divided against itself. It’s a comedy afraid of being too funny lest its macho sentimentality seem even more ridiculous than it is, and a drama afraid of appearing too serious lest you dismiss it as hogwash.

The film displays little ability to utilize Ashby's violent actions for means other than high-concept fodder and out-of-place bloodshed.

Fun little film which offers a story we have kind of already seen a few times before but that does not make it less enjoyable. Special mention to the two leading actors Mickey Rourke and Nat Wolff that show real chemistry. Also very good the roles of the mother and the girlfriend-to-be. Recommendable for an easy watch.

People can change, but for some it is too late! It's a wonderful cast and not a bad production either, so I enjoyed the watch, but did not like the film much. The reason is I had seen a few similar flicks which are much better than this in every way. A school kid and his single parents' struggling relationship and their strange neighbour, so it is the concept I'm familiar with, but the story was a bit different. There are a few good scenes in it, but the most of the parts were dominated by the only the nice events like happily ever after kind of stuffs right from the beginning. The title role was played by Mickey Rourke, but it was Nat Wolff's film. The narration should have been much better, I mean it should have had more complicated segments. I even don't know how it got the R rating. The writing and the direction, both should have been a bit bolder. There are some people who liked it a lot and defending it, but I'm neutral. To me it was 50-50, I neither liked nor disliked. But all I wanted was a bit better than this, so I can't judge it for other. I hope you make a right decision on this if you plan to watch it. 5/10

A comedy with a somewhat convoluted plot, that's what Ashby offers, also some personal redemption towards the end, but unfortunately the gaps are huge and the film leaves you with a bad taste.

Ashby is the only mildly interesting character. The kids teacher is more interesting than his dad. We don't care about his **** romance. It starts off well... But it's just boring and average. Nothing interesting really happens. Which scene is actually important? Ashby steals the spotlight, but I felt it was supposed to be more about the kid... So who is this movie about? The kid or Ashby? I was yawning before this movie even finished... This movie doesn't deliver. Btw lol @ the bot... I could tell just from the ID.