The Critics’ Darlings
For the professional film critic, watching dozens of movies in a matter of days, originality and masterful execution are paramount. This year at TIFF, several films fit that bill perfectly. Director Mike Leigh’s supposed final film, Tender Loving Care,
has been met with reverent reviews, celebrated as a “wondrously kind” and “extremely strong” look at British social fabrics. Similarly, Romanian auteur Christian Mungiu’s Fjord, a drama about cultural and religious clashes, is earning praise for being intellectually provocative and restrained. Then there’s Jesse Eisenberg’s sophomore directorial effort, The Debut. Following its premiere at Telluride, the film arrived at TIFF as a critical heavyweight, with a stellar Metacritic score of 88. These are films lauded for their precision, their challenging ideas, and their unique directorial visions—catnip for those who have seen it all and crave something new.
The People’s Champions
Audience love is a different beast entirely. It’s measured not in thoughtful reviews but in applause, cheers, and the all-important buzz that can propel a film toward the coveted People’s Choice Award. This year, no film has embodied that more than I Play Rocky. A biopic about the making of the 1976 classic, it has sent audiences into spontaneous applause during screenings. While critics have been more measured, noting its conventional, crowd-pleasing structure, the viewers in the room are eating it up. Likewise, Being Heumann, a story about disability rights activist Judith Heumann, has reportedly sparked joyous celebrations in its screenings. And the Michelle Yeoh-led comedy It’s My Time, about a nursing home resident who aims to become a magic-cube champion, is being described as a great time for all ages, signaling its broad, heartfelt appeal. These films offer emotional connection and uplifting narratives that resonate deeply with the public.
A Case Study in Division
If you’re looking for the ultimate symbol of the critic-audience divide, look no further than Zack Snyder’s The Last Photograph. The premiere on Sunday night immediately created two warring factions. On one side, critics were merciless, with some calling it “dogshit,” “abysmal,” and “one of the worst to ever play this festival.” On the other side is Snyder’s long track record of films that critics pan but audiences embrace; Man of Steel, for instance, holds a 57% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes but a 75% from audiences. While audience scores for The Last Photograph aren’t in yet, the pattern is so established that the critical drubbing almost serves as a forecast of eventual fan support. It’s a perfect, almost comically extreme, example of two groups watching the same film and seeing entirely different things.
So, What's the Difference?
The gap between a critical hit and a crowd-pleaser often comes down to expectation and purpose. Critics, by trade, are contextualizing a film within the vast history of cinema. They reward ambition, formal innovation, and a point of view that feels fresh. They’ve seen the underdog sports story before, so a new one has to be truly special to stand out. Audiences, on the other hand, are often seeking an experience. They want to feel something—to be thrilled, to laugh, to cry. A film like I Play Rocky delivers that emotional payoff directly, tapping into a pre-existing love for a classic story. While the winner of the People's Choice Award won't be announced until the festival closes on September 20, the contenders highlight this dynamic perfectly. Occasionally, a film like The Debut, which is drawing both critical raves and huge audience reactions, manages to bridge the gap, becoming that rare, perfect hybrid of art and entertainment. These are the films that often go the distance in awards season, but the split itself is what makes festival season so fascinating to watch.
