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Critics Consensus: Bolstered by the tremendous chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan, Kill Your Darlings casts a vivid spotlight on an early chapter in the story of the Beat Generation.
Critic Consensus: Bolstered by the tremendous chemistry between Daniel Radcliffe and Dane DeHaan, Kill Your Darlings casts a vivid spotlight on an early chapter in the story of the Beat Generation.
All Critics (144) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (109) | Rotten (35) | DVD (1)
Revealing about the role played by violence, shame and denial at the birth of beat and of Ginsberg's career.
Daniel Radcliffe is back in a pair of nerdy specs as Allen Ginsberg in this sincere, heartfelt film about how the gay beat poet found his voice
Bursting with hipster attitude and New York atmosphere, the fact-based "Kill Your Darlings" is a coming-of-age chronicle that morphs into a crime story without missing a beat.
You don't need to know the Beats to understand "Kill Your Darlings," you just need to know the twinkling promise, and dark turns, of life.
Overall the movie seems to wander, like the worst excesses of free verse, needing a little structure to rein it in.
Dramatizing a passion for the written word on film can be tricky, but in his feverish Kill Your Darlings, first-time director John Krokidas brings creative desire to life with vigor and emotion.
Radcliffe's portrayal of the young man, along with the real Ginsberg's legacy, makes us cheer right along with the filmmakers.
This is not just a film for people who love 'the fine arts'; anyone who has a passion for creativity and freedom should find something to enjoy here.
It's DeHaan, though, that makes this film. His Carr is constantly on edge, constantly in denial, pushing at everyone around him to create a world, a movement, in which he might finally be comfortable.
Ben Foster was terrific as Burroughs, and you completely forget Harry Potter when you see Radcliffe as Ginsberg.
I'm not sure John Krokidas's lively debut film makes the Beats very likeable - to this reviewer they come across as a gang of spoiled and pretentious young jerks. But that insight (if indeed it is intentional) is not without value.
As with a lot of weak movies about writers, this one relies on hyper-cranked montages of coiffed artistes clacking away at typewriters and throwing pages in the air while hoofing their drugs of choice.
A very engaging biopic, even more for those acquainted with these Beat Generation poets but not with this early event in their lives involving a decisive murder - and Radcliffe and DeHaan shine with a surprising chemistry together, leading a great ensemble cast.
Super Reviewer
A decent drama with some performance from Daniel Racliffe and Dane DeHaan about this finding yourself movie, the story itself is quite interesting and they had a lot potential from the actors with Michael C. Hall brings the best performance from this movie while Dane DeHaan definitely look desirable in this movie.. Overall, I like it but it just kinda boring..
A flawed if interesting account of the Beat Generation and how Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe) is entranced by one of his classmates named Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan) and how the two meet with other gifted writers such as William Burroughs (Ben Foster) and Jack Kerouac (John Huston). Unfortunately, this movie's very detached and seemingly rushed screenplay mean that you have little to connection to the characters and the decisions they make, even if they can rattle off brilliant poetry at the flip of a switch. Radcliffe struggles convincing the audience that he is a young Ginsberg, while on the other hand DeHaan steals the show in a sure to be star making performance. This is really a melodrama at heart, and the way it is written and choreographed hints at being something special at times, but ultimately falls short of such expectations due to being in such a hurry to get to where it wants to go. Not bad, but not great either.
"Kill Your Darlings" may be a little more interesting to fans of Sir Alan Ginsberg, and don't get me wrong, it is a very enjoyable film, but seeing as I didn't know the type of film it was going in, I cannot really say it is a great picture. The film really is just about his friendships, love, and schooling. Going through the ups and downs of his life, you begin to feel a little disjointed from this actors life. When James Franco portrayed this character in the film "Howl," I believe it to be a much stronger performance and we actually got a glimpse through animation into that icons mind. Danielle Rancliffe and Dane Dehaan are however terrific together and their chemistry was beaming. The film may throw a few curveballs at you and make you feel a bit uneasy, but overall, it is a very well-made film. I recommend it to literature fans, but I honestly think you will not have much to see here if you do not appreciate the material it is based on. Well-written and well-acted, "Kill Your Darlings" is just a good movie in my opinion.
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