68
Metascore
36 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83Entertainment WeeklyLeah GreenblattEntertainment WeeklyLeah GreenblattThe East is still a compelling portrait of what gets lost (and found) when a cause becomes an obsession.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeBatmanglij balances emotional tension with practical danger nicely, a must in a story whose activist protagonists can make no distinction between the personal and the political.
- 80Film.comJordan HoffmanFilm.comJordan HoffmanThis is a movie that proposes a genuine, intelligent solution, both for the main character and for us. It comes at you kinda quickly (and economically, in about three wordless shots), but it hit me like a bag of dumpster-dived apples to the gut.
- 80Time OutJoshua RothkopfTime OutJoshua RothkopfEventually it’s go time, and if The East loses a little steam on the grounds of action mechanics (a skill these plots always require), it’s never dumb on the subject of covert allegiances.
- 75Slant MagazineSlant MagazineIt showcases the evolving interests and talents of Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling, but expands them and channels them into a more traditional thriller framework.
- 70VarietyJustin ChangVarietyJustin ChangThis clever, involving spy drama builds to a terrific level of intrigue before losing some steam in its second half.
- 67The PlaylistCory EverettThe PlaylistCory EverettThe East is definitely a movie that's going to divide people but it'll be a conversation worth having.
- 60Village VoiceAmy NicholsonVillage VoiceAmy NicholsonFor all its empathy and equilibrium, The East has nowhere to go after the script backs itself into a corner.