AMERICAN SON Reviewa- Page 1

[LimelightMike]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 2:21am

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 8:41pm

 

Variety is mostly positive.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/variety.com/2018/legit/reviews/american-son-review-kerry-washington-broadway-1203017628/amp/

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 8:48pm

The Hollywood Reporter is mixed, but leans positive:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hollywoodreporter.com/amp/review/american-son-theater-review-1157904

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 8:54pm

Another mixed but leaning positive review from The Wrap:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thewrap.com/american-son-broadway-review-kerry-washington-steven-pasquale-jeremy-jordan/amp/
 

 

Updated On: 11/4/18 at 08:54 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 9:01pm

AM New York seems to be saying what most reviews are saying: Washington is phenomenal, the script is not one-for-the-ages, but it is a timely topic and worth seeing whatever its flaws:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.amny.com/amp/entertainment/american-son-review-1.22896845

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 9:06pm

Time Out gives it 3 out of 5 stars:

https://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/american-son-review-kerry-washington

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 9:09pm

LA Times: 'American Son,' with Kerry Washington, is a painfully topical, if imperfect, Broadway drama

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/theater/reviews/la-et-cm-american-son-review-20181101-story.html

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 9:13pm

The Daily Beast is negative:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/kerry-washington-and-the-wasted-potential-of-american-son-on-broadway

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 9:16pm

The Chicago Tribune is mixed, but ultimately finds the play worthy:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/broadway/sc-ent-american-son-broadway-review-1105-story.html

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 9:23pm

Two reviews (3 stars and 2 stars): New York Stage Review (Melissa Rose Bernardo and Elysa Gardner):

http://nystagereview.com/2018/11/04/american-son-ripped-from-the-headlines/

http://nystagereview.com/2018/11/04/american-son-modern-injustice-wrought-as-melodrama/

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 10:03pm

NY Times Critic’s Pick from Jesse Green:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2018/11/04/theater/american-son-review.amp.html

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 10:06pm

Everything gets a Critic's Pick these days so that really isn't much of an achievement lol.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 10:25pm

GeorgeandDot said: "Everything gets a Critic's Pick these days so that really isn't much of an achievement lol."

I know. It only matters to me when it’s a show I love or want to see. Lol. At least this time, this critic’s pick was accompanied by a mostly positive review as opposed to those real head-scratchers where the critic’s picks are accompanied by mixed reviews. Lol. Sadly, I likely won’t make it to NYC before this and other plays (that I want to see) close. 

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 11:02pm

I saw this a few weeks ago and the mixed reviews don’t surprise me in the slightest. It is for sure an important topic and one that deserves a truly great play. American Son is not that play. It’s riddled with cliches, Pasquale gives an incredibly bad performance (but I’ll chalk that up to the writing, which did him no favors, especially in the final 15 minutes of the play) and it ends with a thud.

Washington, Jordan and the other agent were very good (I don’t have my Playbill handy, I can’t remember his name) but with better material, this could have been something special.

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 11:28pm

The other agent was played by Eugene Lee (the actor, not the set designer).

[PianoMann]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 11:31pm

I saw this last weekend and enjoyed it, but I had my expectations set by those who saw it earlier than I did. It's certainly nothing extraordinary, but it's engaging for its 90-minute run time. I'm glad it received some positive notices, but I understand the negative reviews, too.

[Pashacar]

Posted: 11/4/18 at 11:41pm

Agree about the mixed reviews, but I for one am happy to see the pretty universally strong notices for Eugene Lee, who I thought was exceptional. The Hollywood Reporter review especially nailed it, IMO.

[bear88]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 1:39am

Sara Holdren (Vulture) hated it.

http://www.vulture.com/2018/11/theater-review-the-good-intentions-of-american-son.html

[Blue_Lotus]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 4:30am

GeorgeandDot said: "Everything gets a Critic's Pick these days so that really isn't much of an achievement lol."

That is absolutely not true. Your post reads more like it bothers you that this show received one because you don't particularly care for it. 

It's an engaging piece that benefits from its performances. Washington is doing great work here - I didn't have any doubts about her...she's a force to be reckoned with but Pasquale and even Jordan's performances really did surprise me. It was nice seeing them challenge themselves beyond musical comedy. 

Updated On: 11/5/18 at 04:30 AM

[LuPita2]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 7:02am

Mixed review from me as well, it was uneven and the ending was ..... just a poor choice.  This will sell well of course because of the cast.  But, Steven and Jeremy reallllly need to get back to musicals, that is truly where they shine.  

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 7:08am

Blue_Lotus said: "GeorgeandDot said: "Everything gets a Critic's Pick these days so that really isn't much of an achievement lol."

That is absolutely not true. Your post reads more like it bothers you that thisshow received one because you don't particularly care for it.

It's an engaging piece that benefits from its performances. Washington is doing great work here - I didn't have any doubts about her...she's a force to be reckoned with but Pasquale and evenJordan's performances really did surprise me. It was nice seeing them challenge themselves beyond musical comedy."

It's an mildly interesting piece with a good message and some good performances, but it's not a particularly good play at all.  Idk, but I believe critic's pick should be reserved for really exceptional works, not just the one's that are semi-competent.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 8:46am

It surprised me that Jesse Green says in The NY Times review that Pasquale is for once ideally cast. Not so much because he appears to laud Pasquale’s performance, but because it seems like a backhanded complement. Is it generally considered that Pasquale has been mis-cast in his previous roles? I’ve only seen him once, but thought he was great in The Robber Bridegroom.

[rjm516]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 9:09am

Miles2Go2 said: "It surprised me that Jesse Green says in The NY Times review that Pasquale is for once ideally cast. Not so much because he appears to laud Pasquale’s performance, but because it seems like a backhanded complement. Is it generally considered that Pasquale has been mis-cast in his previous roles? I’ve only seen him once, but thought he was great in The Robber Bridegroom."

Seriously did Jesse completely miss Bridges of Madison County?

[LuPita2]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 6:26pm

I agree, that was a weird thing to say.  I doubt he ever saw Bridges or Far From Heaven.  

[SomethingPeculiar]

Posted: 11/5/18 at 6:39pm

The weird thing about Jesse Green's Pasquale comment is that he really liked Bridges of Madison County and Pasquale's performance in it:

"The leading performances, shaped by Sher to preserve a sense of character modesty within the vocal extravagance, are exemplary.... Barihunk Steven Pasquale, as Robert, who starred opposite O’Hara in Far From Heaven off Broadway last spring, and appeared in the first developmental production of The Light in the Piazza with her as well, at last gets a chance to be heard singing on Broadway. He was worth the wait.... surely any less beautiful production, with less glorious singing actors than O’Hara and Pasquale, would expose other flaws. But don’t let’s ask for the moon. We have the stars."

http://www.vulture.com/2014/02/theater-review-the-bridges-of-madison-county.html