42
Metascore
8 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleSan Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleMaren’s direction is tonally right, full of warmth and touches of humor; he makes it an inviting film to watch.
- 67ColliderEmily BernardColliderEmily BernardDespite being a bit tonally uneven, A Little White Lie is a lovable indie dramedy led by the always delightful Michael Shannon and Kate Hudson that is worth bookmarking.
- 58The A.V. ClubBrett BuckalewThe A.V. ClubBrett BuckalewThe execution of the simultaneous mistaken identity and fish-out-of-water shenanigans that ensue is oddly muted; you keep waiting for Maren to amp up the comic energy and narrative complications, but it isn’t until the satisfyingly madcap climax that he really does.
- 50Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreI love Shannon’s performance here — introspective, guilt-ridden, sad and thoughtful. He makes the character credible on several levels, a simple man capable of “Being There” profundities, the very picture of the “haunted artist.” Or fake haunted artist.
- 40Paste MagazinePaste MagazineAll of A Little White Lie’s problems can be summarized by Alex Wurman’s score. At first promising, inviting and light to compliment the fundamental cheeriness of the genre, it becomes all-encompassing, bearing down on the viewer with a menacing edge.
- 30The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisHobbled by a lack of visual oomph or verbal sparkle, A Little White Lie pokes feebly at impostor syndrome and writerly insecurity.
- 30VarietyRene RodriguezVarietyRene RodriguezDirector Maren doesn’t trust Shannon to convey this inner monologue via his performance — just one example of the film’s plodding lack of wit or sophistication.
- 25RogerEbert.comTomris LafflyRogerEbert.comTomris LafflyThe film's biggest con doesn't come from this imposter protagonist so much as the messy script and direction that squanders an amusing-enough premise, and the apathetic performances from A-listers in search of a purpose other than fulfilling a contractual obligation.