7 Tips for Writing a Film Review

By Mark Nichol
When I wrote for my college newspaper, one of the assignments I enjoyed most was writing lm reviews. And I
was terrible at it, as I soon realized. Why? I was writing the equivalent of book reports: movie reports.
Fortunately, I came to my senses and realized that evaluating lms and plays and the like (and, yes, books) is
more complicated, yet more satisfying, that that. Here are some tips not necessarily in the order in which
they would be applied in your writing for crafting movie reviews (which are more or less applicable for
reviewing other types of composition, or even products like software or gadgets):
1. If circumstances permit, view the lm more than once. Its easy to miss key elements, or even the whole
point, after just a single viewing.
2. Express your opinion of the lm, but support your criticism. If you are offended or disappointed or
embarrassed, provide a valid reason, even if you think it is obvious. A lm review that comes across as a
personal attack on an actor, director, or screenwriter or a diatribe about a genre is a failed review.
3. Adjust the style of your review for the readership. If youre pitching reviews to a traditional publication, youre
expected to be fairly evenhanded (though even mainstream lm critics are permitted nay, expected to
gently mock particularly inept lmmaking). If your target audience is fanboys (and fangirls) on a movie-geek
Web site, though, feel free to take the gloves off. Either way, though, support your criticism with valid
observations; hurling invective is not the same thing as evaluation.
4. Avoid spoilers. One of the most pernicious fairly recent developments in the review genre is the careless,
thoughtless revelation of key plot points. Its a sign of professionalism to refrain from giving such information
away. Exception: Reviews of previously released lms dont necessarily adhere to this rule, though its still
considered sporting to warn readers or site visitors to skip to the next paragraph if they dont want to read
something. Some classy sites actually code spoilers to be invisible unless the visitor scrolls over the blank
area to highlight that passage in the review.
5. Judge the story. Are the characters actions justied, and are their motives plausible? Is there an internal
consistency to the way each person behaves, or do some words, thoughts, or actions ring false? Does the plot
make sense? Is the story line logical? Is the narrative arc well shaped, with an economy of form, or is it abby
or drawn out, with time-killing pointlessness?
6. Rate the actors. Do they meet the expectations dictated by the plot and other story elements? If not, is it
their own thespian shortcomings, are they hampered by a poor script, or is there something about their
performances that makes you believe the director is at fault? What could the performers, the screenwriters, or
the lmmaker have done differently to make the movie work better?
7. Evaluate the technical elements. How do the cinematography, editing, lighting, sound, and other
components support or detract from the lm? Is music appropriate and effectively employed? You neednt
know lm-technology jargon to share your thoughts about how these elements contributed to or detracted from
the whole.

Writing lm reviews is in one way a thankless task: Often, readers will disagree with you, and many people will
go to see movies without your wise guidance. How to avoid frustration? Writing about movies, like writing
about just about anything else, should be primarily an exercise in enjoyment: You do it because you like doing
it. If anybody else out there enjoys the result of your exercise in self-entertainment, so much the better but
youre your own primary audience (and your worst critic).

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8 Responses to 7 Tips for Writing a Film Review

Nonoyon July 09, 2011 6:53 am
I want to add one tip for writing movie reviews: always write in present tense. I got this advice from William
Strunk Jr. of the little book Elements of Style.
Donon July 09, 2011 2:44 pm
#4 should be #1. Spoilers should also be outlawed for older lms; reviewers should not presume that just
because a lm is old that everyone knows the plot. Thats not true.
Film reviews (and book reviews) are critiques and should never be a synopsis. A synopsis is the essence of
a 7th grade book report, not a professional review.
The Nerdy Nurseon July 09, 2011 5:56 pm
Writing reviews/opinions on anything is often a thankless task. However, the few that express their gratitude
make it all worthwhile. If your words can assist just one person then you have made a difference in their life
and thats all that matters!
Tammi Kibler | Write More. Write Fast. Write Now.on July 09, 2011 7:15 pm
Nice list of useful tips. Its so important to get past, I didnt like when A did this and explain whether an
action was consistent with the character and the story.
shirley in berkeleyon July 09, 2011 10:18 pm
I especially appreciate your admonishment in 4. I am at the point where I never read reviews of a movie or
a book I think I might want to see or read until after Ive seen or read it. Everywhere from our local paper to

The New Yorker, reviewers seem to think its okay to give a blow by blow plot summary if they just dont
reveal the ending. Writers carefully construct plots, leading a reader or a viewer step-by-step through a
story. I dont want the reviewers take on this, I want to let authors, auteurs, or whatever work their magic.
Bravo, Mark. Keep up the good work.
Jean in Seattleon July 10, 2011 1:07 pm
Can you provide some examples of movie reviews that you think are well-done?
Christian Totoon July 10, 2011 6:09 pm
Youd be surprised how many veteran critics break the Spoiler rule. It shows contempt for the audience
and sheer laziness.
And its a great point about knowing your audience before writing your review. Years ago most critics toiled
for newspapers or magazines and had to play it more or less straight. Today, they could be working for a
liberal news mag, a fanboy site or even a blog aimed at parents.
Heres another bullet point to add to your list dont be mean. Mocking an actress for getting older, or an
actor for losing his hair, isnt being critical. Its being cruel and adds nothing to the review.
Round Oneon July 12, 2011 2:11 pm
I recommend going to Rotten Tomatoes and reading some of the reviews there. You will get both good and
bad examples of all seven of the above listed items.