A solid coming of age memoir that coasts mostly on the cast. The film meanders in a way, which is a positive and a negative, the positive is that it feels real, the negative is that doesn’t always make the best movie. But again the cast really makes it and it feels like something people would fawn over more if it didn’t have the Affleck or Clooney names attached.

Tender is right. This is a warm hearted film, with excellent performances throughout and some interesting characters. An enjoyable watch.

Absolutely wonderful movie! Excellent cast!

I think slice-of-life films have a disadvantage over those that are structured around more linear and external dramatic narratives. In murder mysteries for example, the plot alone might be enough to keep viewers invested, as they try to anticipate the twists and turns and identify the culprit. On the other hand, in films like _The Tender Bar_, there isn't necessarily an "A leads to B leads to C" plot progression, with many scenes feeling more like independent vignettes than pieces of a whole. As a result, characters and dialogue, rather than plot, have to do the heavy lifting. Luckily, this film knocks it out of the park in both of those areas. Every character in this film feels real. Of course, it is based on a true story, so naturally you would hope that would be the case, but I've watched enough movies to know that it's easier said than done. The central relationships are unique and well established. Not often do we get to see an uncle/nephew relationship take the center stage. I've always had a soft spot for Ben Affleck, and the unconventional role model character was perfect for him. Child actors are always a risky play, but Daniel Ranieri does a fantastic job as the precocious JR. Christopher Lloyd is the perfect crotchety grandpa with a heart of gold. One of my favorite sequences in the film was when he [spoiler]takes JR to the fathers' and sons' breakfast[/spoiler]. Such a wholesome moment that almost singlehandedly fleshes out an otherwise one note character, giving him virtues to go along with his flaws. As far as potential critiques go, I don't have too much to say. Narration has always been a tough sell for me, but its use was fairly minimal and it ultimately didn't meaningfully detract. I also thought that the intercutting of scenes with JR on the train to Yale didn't really add much. Some final positives. The soundtrack is killer. The dialogue is clever. The sets and costumes are stylish. Beyond that, it was thought provoking, uplifting, and just generally a well made film. As one final note, I should acknowledge that I'm probably biased in my enjoyment of this film, as my own writing aspirations gave me a natural connection to JR's story. Despite this acknowledgement, I'm still surprised at the film's less than positive critical reception.

A surprise coming of age story. Ben Affleck definitely has a type cast, but the movie is a warm hearted, feel good movie. It's an 8.5, but usually round up unless really bad. The cinematography was really good, which was a surprise in itself. I wasn't expecting that at the beginning of the film when it showed George Clooney directing. Someone said memoirs don't translate well. This does, but it's not really memoirs don't translate well into movies. In my observations over the years, memoirs that cut a little too close to home often leave the viewer off balance. Is that the viewer's issue or the movie's?