Does anyone in this film actually care about anyone beyond themselves?

| Original Score: 1.5/4.0 | Sep 2, 2020

After the movie scored poorly at a test screening, Miramax vice president Rick Schwartz bullied directors Efram Potelle and Kyle Rankin into playing up the comedic elements and soft-pedaling the family drama.

| Apr 6, 2010

Suffers from a terrible script with grossly under-developed sub-plots and characters...

| Apr 29, 2009

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 4, 2007

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 1, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 6, 2005

An above-average teen film with a witty screenplay and undeniable charm.

| Original Score: B+ | Jun 20, 2005

All I can say is there's plenty of difficult people in Hollywood. We just aren't usually exposed to it. I think this film will speak for itself and the future of all involved.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 7, 2004

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Feb 2, 2004

A movie such as this can easily get by on charm, so long as we get a surprise or two from the rest of the script. Therein lies the problem.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 24, 2004

An unappealing melancholy sitcom dramatization.

| Original Score: C | Dec 10, 2003

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 24, 2003

| Original Score: 4/10 | Oct 22, 2003

Even so flawed, it is remarkably engaging.

| Oct 17, 2003

A movie as awkward and embarrassing as when you're 13 and your grandma sends you a birthday card with a clown on it.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Oct 17, 2003

Not especially original of concept or execution, but it's a pleasant enough script and very well acted by both youngsters LaBeouf and Henson and veterans Quinlan, Sadler and Smart.

| Oct 11, 2003

The film is well-acted and looks good, but it's so inconsequential and bland that you wonder what was it about the script that made anyone think it would make an interesting movie.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Oct 3, 2003

Cinematic mush.

Full Review | Original Score: C- | Oct 3, 2003

[Potelle and Rankin] were set up to fail. And so they failed.

Full Review | Sep 6, 2003

There's no emotional pay-off to The Battle of Shaker Heights, which doesn't so much end as trail off into the credits.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 5, 2003