From its contrived structure to its forced speechifying, this story... never acquires the emotional potency or coherence its themes demand.

In any case, what remains of John F. Donovan is a barely coherent mess, and so eager for your approval that it's hard to feel anything but sorry for it.

A work of stunning technique eclipsed by its increasingly jaw-dropping solipsism...

Nothing but a prestige piece for a fictional character with inexplicable iconoclasm and half-baked coming-of-age schmaltz that tries really hard - and fails - to pluck at the heart strings. This is a fairly major misfire for Dolan.