When an Acclaimed Film Is the Wrong Pick for Movie Night
Every film club has met this moment. Someone suggests a film that sits near the top of a critics' poll, everyone agrees it sounds worthy, and ninety minutes in two people are checking their phones while a third has gone to make tea.
Nothing is wrong with the film, and nothing is wrong with your friends. A film can be brilliant and still be a poor fit for a particular evening. The skill is telling those two things apart before you press play.
What critics' lists measure, and what they don't
Lists such as the BFI's Sight and Sound poll of greatest films ask critics and filmmakers which films matter most to the art form. That is a useful guide to importance, influence and craft. It does not ask whether the film suits six people on a sofa on a Wednesday.
In 2022 the poll's top spot went to Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975). It is a landmark, and it runs for well over three hours of slow, patient observation. Few people would call it a relaxed group watch. Another example is Béla Tarr's Sátántangó (1994), which the BFI lists at 430 minutes. Admire it, by all means, but think hard before making it a Friday-night default.
These are extreme cases. The same logic applies to more ordinary choices: a bleak drama after a hard week, or a film that needs full concentration in a room that wants to chat.
Four questions worth asking first
Before you commit to an acclaimed film, check it against the evening rather than the reputation.
- How much attention does it need? Slow films and dense, subtitled films are rewarding, but they punish a room where people drift in and out. If the group will be talking, eating or half-watching, pick something that survives that.
- How long is it, honestly? A long running time is a bigger ask than it looks, because people are also giving up the conversation either side. Our guide to great group watches under 90 minutes covers the other end of the scale.
- What mood will it leave behind? A masterpiece about grief can be exactly right for one night and a poor way to end another. Ask what people want to feel afterwards.
- Who is the group? A film club that has asked for something challenging is a different audience from friends who meet to unwind. Be honest about which one you have.
When the acclaimed film is still the right choice
None of this is an argument for avoiding hard or celebrated films. It is an argument for choosing them on purpose.
- Make it an announced event. "This month's film is long and slow, so we'll start at 6pm with an interval" lets people opt in and prepare.
- Pair the risk with a safe choice. If you pick one demanding film, let the next pick be an easy crowd-pleaser, and say so in advance.
- Let people take part without a pass mark. Nobody should have to pretend they loved it. A group that can say "I admired it but I didn't enjoy it" has a better discussion than one that nods politely.
- Offer an exit. If the film is not working, being able to stop and try something else is far better than a silent hour of obligation. Agreeing that in advance is part of setting boundaries before movie night.
Judge the film and the night separately
The cleanest habit is to keep two questions apart: "Is this a great film?" and "Is it right for tonight?" A yes to the first does not answer the second, and a no to the second says nothing against the film. Put it on the list for a different evening and you lose nothing.
If you want a fair way to decide, you can start a poll in MyMoviePoll, let everyone nominate films that suit the night you actually have, and vote on the result. The acclaimed film can stay on the shortlist for the night it fits.