The ho-hum story is hardly what you'd call grand opera.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 13, 2014

David Frankel crams his story with predictable developments, yet he matches his subject in spirit, pushing something into the spotlight that, however unlikely, elicits irresistible glee.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 10, 2014

The goose bumps are undeniable. You may as well just give in.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 10, 2014

Feel-good stories feel good for a reason, and this one is practically operatic.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 10, 2014

David Frankel's film reduces an extraordinary life to a predictable template of bullying, resolve, success, disappointment, and platitudes - a pattern repeated two or three times until the genuinely moving finale.

| Oct 9, 2014

Delivers a screen version of Mr. Potts's life with straightforward crowd-pleasing instincts and more than a dollop of schmaltz.

| Oct 9, 2014

There's never really terribly much at stake here, except the success of one chubby nerd with dreams of nailing Puccini's "Nessun dorma." But maybe that dream is enough.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 9, 2014

The film is, indeed, a bit pat. Sweet and funny - largely thanks to James Corden in the lead role - it's never particularly surprising.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 9, 2014

It's a film that swears by the golden formula of crowd-pleasing sentimentality: Let viewers laugh at the struggles and share in the triumphs.

| Original Score: C- | Oct 9, 2014

"Billy Elliot" fans will likely adore this tale of a sensitive lad misunderstood by his macho dad. Everyone else will find it tepid.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 8, 2014

The film shoehorns Potts's life story into a familiar underdog template ...

| Oct 7, 2014

A sweet, funny, heartfelt film, and while we may know all along how it all turns out, Paul's signature performance still gives us chills.

| Dec 14, 2013

[The] "feel-good-or-die" story of Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts's rise from Carphone Warehouse obscurity to opera-belting fame.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 28, 2013

[A] treacly, tepid heartwarmer ...

| Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 24, 2013

James Corden is robustly likeable and, when needed, emotionally flibbertigibbet. Unimaginable that anyone could play the role better.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 24, 2013

The problem with the film is that Paul Potts's life story has been put through the Hollywood meatgrinder.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 22, 2013

A fluffy but fun telling of a rags to riches story.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 21, 2013

A lot of the film, especially the courtship of Potts and his Julz, is touching and funny. It works.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 20, 2013

An utterly formulaic but sweet movie that does what a crowd-pleaser is meant to do.

| Sep 13, 2013

For all the solid efforts of the cast, it's still one of those biopics with a totally canned story arc and as many head-slapping moments as intentional laughs ...

| Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 11, 2013