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Poster for Fay Grim

Fay Grim

Featuring the continuing adventures of Henry Fool.

2007 · 1h 58m · R Action, Comedy, Thriller
Directed by Hal Hartley

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Overview

Many years after her notorious husband, Henry Fool, fled after killing a neighbor, Fay Grim receives a visit from CIA agent Fulbright, who tells her that Henry is dead, but that some of his journals have been unearthed in France. She sets forth on a globe-trotting odyssey that soon leads to the discovery that he is alive, and his journals are more than they appear to be.

Director and cast

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes

Top critics, in their words

All reviews
46%
Tomatometer
Fresh

Movie sequels rarely work as well as literary serials, but the Henry and Fay movies have the ring of a satisfying trilogy in the making.

Susan Walker, Toronto Star
Rotten

The involved backstory and Hartley's own generic music both prove burdensome; the main attraction is the cast's amusing way of handling Hartley's mannerist dialogue and conceits.

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Rotten

There's a thin line between goofing irreverently on the maddeningly convoluted nature of spy thrillers and actually being a muddled mess, and Fay Grim crosses it constantly during its deadly second hour.

Nathan Rabin, AV Club
Rotten

Recycling espionage-a-go-go conventions while namechecking global conflicts doesn't shed light on any state we're in; it just feels fatigued.

David Fear, Time Out New York
Fresh

Despite its imperfections, Fay Grim is worth seeing for Posey's and Goldblum's performances and particularly for the witty, literate dialogue.

Claudia Puig, USA Today

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