Dedication: Critic Reviews

What began as an oddball study of a jagged male friendship devolves into cliche and compromise.

Gratingly hip, joyless, small-budget Dedication is just another example of what New Yorker magazine recently identified as the 'slacker-striver' trope in today's romances.

Theroux brings none of the electric surprise or intensity of his acting to bear on the movie. He seems unhappy with the assignment.

When Henry says he can't throw away a towel because he's afraid it might have feelings, even Miranda July will want to throttle him.

This might work if there were chemistry between the stars, but eccentric Crudup and girl-next-door Moore may be the worst casting match of the year.

You can see where all this is going -- author meets illustrator, crazy person meets sane person, withholding person meets giving person -- but there isn't one interesting thing about the journey.

Billy Crudup and Mandy Moore are immensely likable. We like them so much we regret having to see them in this story.

Dedication is engaging for a while, but flits from style to style, from dark to loopy comedy, only to settle on gooey romance.

Actor Justin Theroux makes an impressive directorial debut, aided by David Bromberg's mordantly funny dialogue.

Directed by actor Justin Theroux with a surprisingly saccharine hand, the film is neither believable nor novel.

Theroux doesn't maintain firm control of the tone, particularly going astray in attempts at comic interludes as well as in the ending.

A pleasingly weird, dryly funny little indie.

It leaves you wishing the oddball couple well.

One big asset is his excellent use of music, including the child-like plaintive wailing of a group called Deerhoof. Other smart choices include songs by Cat Power and the Stokes, all expertly edited into the flow of the story.

Dedication's problem isn't its idealized conception of love but the thoroughly unconvincing way in which it is realized.

That's what it takes to make it through this self-consciously dark romantic comedy.

It restores one's faith in Mandy Moore's film career.

Theroux shoots and edits creatively, and elicits good performances, so here's hoping he gets another crack behind the camera with a more cohesive and consistent script.

Dedication is a loopy, semi-romantic comedy better served had it been made by Hal Hartley and released during the autumn of 1994.

Stridently annoying.

Will help Moore get additional notice within the industry, from writers, directors and other creative types who pay attention.

A well-acted comedy-drama that may feature the most disagreeable gang of characters to populate any movie this year. Too bad they're not quite as much fun to watch.

[Director Theroux] has a tendency to overplay things, with self-consciously arty direction and an intrusive soundtrack.