40
A clever idea that can't find its feet on the bigger stage.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
38
Slant Magazine by Jesse Cataldo
Rather than organically develop its characters, it charts their evolution via silly outfit changes, treating the early '80s as a costume bin for flavor-of-the-week aping gags, with the band going from Gary Numan style shirts and skinny ties to lavish glam-rock costumes.
60
New York Daily News by Joe Neumaier
Director Nick Hamm's movie is sparky and fun, and full of affectionate pokes at the '80s music scene. It's also, in terms of music biopics, probably better than the real thing.
60
"Amadeus" it's not, but as light transitional music, the film-which has Pete Postlethwaite's final performance, as a swishy landlord-is tuneful enough.
75
Killing Bono begs to be remade with A-list stars but, given Neil's history of near-misses, probably won't be.
50
Taking liberties with journalist Neil McCormick's memoir to create narrative tension, screenwriters Simon Maxwell and prolific scribe team Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais ("The Commitments") overstuff the story with subplots and trite character arcs.
30
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
The migraine of a story arc needed sharp comedy reflexes or, at least, a live-wire/slummy star turn and got neither.
42
There's a difference between "funny" and "comedy," and the movie adaptation of Killing Bono tries way too hard to be nutty, at the expense of just getting across what McCormick knows.