52
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80VarietyLisa NesselsonVarietyLisa NesselsonBuilding blocks of tale are not new, but there's an appealingly rough-hewn and convincing tone to the proceedings.
- 80Chicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumChicago ReaderJonathan RosenbaumAmiably unvarnished... Much more successful than most other films that deal with daily life in the projects.
- 75New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanUnlike most inner-city stories that come out of Hollywood, this feels like the real thing.
- 40The New York TimesLawrence Van GelderThe New York TimesLawrence Van GelderPoverty, capable of stunting lives, can also blight films. A case in point is the earnest and heartfelt but undernourished and plodding Off the Hook.
- 40Village VoiceVillage VoiceWatstein handily directs and edits around his screenplay's sappier elements.
- 30TV Guide MagazineSteve SimelsTV Guide MagazineSteve SimelsThe fact that this is somebody's real-life story up on there the screen doesn't necessarily guarantee it's an especially fresh story.
- 25New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickOverlong and not well-acted.