48
Metascore
6 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 60The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyThe Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyWhile it zips along with pleasingly brisk economy in the expository establishing scenes, newcomer Evan Parter’s Black List screenplay indulges in too many movie-ish contrivances to offer a genuinely provocative spin on Beltway shenanigans.
- 50IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichDespite appearances, The Independent isn’t much interested in the implications of a three-horse race for the Oval Office, or the viability of a down-to-earth superman uniting the country with promises that appeal to both sides of the aisle. No, that stuff is just a pretext for a tense but ultimately toothless polemic about the value of truth and the need for an independent press
- 50Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonWall Street JournalJohn AndersonAn undercooked serving of political skulduggery that nevertheless provides a showcase for the magnetic Jodie Turner-Smith. Like most of the cast, she’s better than the material.
- 40TheWrapDan CallahanTheWrapDan CallahanTucked away in The Independent is a smaller family drama in which Elisha deals with her parents and the illness of her father. These scenes are far better than anything else in the film because Turner-Smith gets to play something realistic rather than over-the-top and plot-driven.
- 40Screen RantFerdosa AbdiScreen RantFerdosa AbdiAt the heart of this plausible political thriller is a need for more insightful and incisive writing. The Independent often shows audiences what they already know about American politics, but it doesn’t tell one more.