rushmore movie review rotten tomatoes

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, black writers week.

Now streaming on:

Max Fischer, the hero of "Rushmore,'' is an activity jock, one of those kids too bright and restless to color inside the lines. Although he's a lousy student, that doesn't stop him from organizing a movement to keep Latin on the curriculum of his exclusive prep school. His grades are so bad, he's on "sudden death probation,'' but in his spare time, he edits the school magazine and runs the fencing club, the beekeeping club, the karate team, the French club and the Max Fischer Players. With his bushy eyebrows and black horn-rims, he looks a little like a young Benjamin Braddock from "The Graduate.'' Max, played by Jason Schwartzman , has a secret. He's in the exclusive Rushmore Academy on a scholarship; his dad is a barber. Always dressed in a tie and snappy blazer (unless in costume for one of his activities), he speaks with an unnerving maturity and is barely able to conceal his feelings of superiority for the headmaster ( Brian Cox ) and other adults, who enforce their stuffy rules because they are not, and never were, able to work without a net the way Max can.

Then Max encounters a problem even he cannot outflank. Reading a book in the school library, he finds a quote by Jacques Cousteau written in the margin. The book was recently checked out, he discovers, by Miss Cross ( Olivia Williams ), a first-grade teacher at Rushmore. She is, he finds, incredibly beautiful, and he falls instantly in love, devising a scheme to attract her attention by running a campaign for a school aquarium. Among the potential donors is a steel tycoon named Blume ( Bill Murray ). Murray has kids in Rushmore, but hates them. Soon he, too, is in love with Miss Cross.

Up until this point, even a little further, "Rushmore'' has a kind of effortless grace. Max Fischer emerges as not just a brainy comic character, but as a kid who could do anything, if he weren't always trying to do everything. It's ingenious the way he uses his political and organizing abilities to get his way with people, how he enlists a younger student ( Mason Gamble ) as his gofer, how he reasons patiently with the headmaster and thinks he can talk Miss Cross into being his girlfriend. ("Max, has it ever occurred to you that you're far too young for me?'') Blume is played by Murray with the right note to counter Max's strategies. He is, essentially, a kid himself--immature, vindictive, lovestruck, self-centered, physically awkward, but with years more experience in getting his way. (Still, he winds up hiding from life at the bottom of a swimming pool, just like Benjamin in "The Graduate.'') The movie turns into a strategic duel between Max and Blume, and that could be funny, too, except that it gets a little mean when Max spills the beans to Blume's wife, and feels too contrived. When plotting replaces stage-setting and character development, the air goes out of the movie.

"Rushmore'' was directed by Wes Anderson and written by Anderson and his college friend Owen Wilson . It's their second film, after the slight but engaging "Bottle Rocket'' (1996). The legend of that film is well known, and suggests that Anderson and Wilson may have a little of Max Fischer in their own personalities--the film may have elements of self-portraiture.

They were friends at the University of Texas who made a short film, pitched it to screenwriter L.M. "Kit'' Carson, got his encouragement, took it to the Sundance Film Festival and cornered director James L. Brooks ("As Good As It Gets''), who liked it enough to help them get financing for a feature from Columbia Pictures. I am writing this review at Sundance, where I have met a lot of kids trying to pitch their sort of films and get production deals, and having a good film is not enough: You also need the relentless chutzpah of a Max Fischer.

Bill Murray has a way of turning up in perfect smaller roles; he stars in his own films, but since "Tootsie,'' he has made supporting roles into a sort of parallel career. His Blume admires and hates Max for the same reason: because he is reminded of himself. There are times where Blume looks at Max with a combination of hatred and admiration; he's frustrated in his desire to win Miss Cross for himself, but from an objective viewpoint can't resist admiring his strategy.

Anderson and Wilson are good offbeat filmmakers. They fill the corners of their story with nice touches, like the details of Max's wildly overambitious stage production of "Serpico.'' But their film seems torn between conflicting possibilities: It's structured like a comedy, but there are undertones of darker themes, and I almost wish they'd allowed the plot to lead them into those shadows. The Max Fischer they give us is going to grow up into Benjamin Braddock. But there is an unrealized Max who would have become Charles Foster Kane.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Christy Lemire

Nightwatch: Demons Are Forever

Simon abrams.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person

Rendy jones.

Brian Tallerico

Young Woman and the Sea

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Film credits.

Rushmore (1999)

Rated R For Language and Brief Nudity

Olivia Williams as Miss Cross

Mason Gamble as Dirk Calloway

Brian Cox as Dr. Guggenheim

Jason Schwartzman as Max Fischer

Bill Murray as Mr. Blume

Seymour Cassel as Bert Fischer

• Wes Anderson
• Owen Wilson

Latest blog posts

The Hard Way, Or My Way? RIP Bill Cobbs (1934-2024)

Catherine Breillat Wants You to Think About (Movie) Sex Differently

Sundance x Chicago Brings Film's Premier Festival to the Windy City

Home Entertainment Guide: June 2024

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘rushmore’: thr’s 1998 review.

On Dec. 11, 1998, Touchstone Pictures unveiled Wes Anderson's Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray starrer in theaters.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

On Dec. 11, 1998, Touchstone Pictures unveiled Wes Anderson’s Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray starrer Rushmore in theaters, where it would go on to gross $17 million domestically. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:

This sophomore feature from director Wes Anderson ( Bottle Rocket ) is an unusually stylish and quirky comedy that represents a significant marketing challenge for Touchstone Pictures.

Related Stories

'the shining': thr's 1980 review, 'the rock': thr's 1996 review.

Jason Schwartzman, making an auspicious screen debut, plays Max Fischer, a bespectacled l0th-grader at the upscale, snotty Rushmore Academy. Max is not exactly an academic star, but he has other talents — many of them. In fact, his extracurricular activities, from editing the school newspaper to founding clubs devoted to activities ranging from debating to dodge ball, are so legion that he’s neglected his studies to the degree that he’s on the verge of getting expelled. His most passionate energies are devoted to the Max Fischer Players, a school theatrical group for whom he has the temerity to stage elaborate (and hilariously rendered) adaptations of Serpico and Apocalypse Now . Her man Blume (Murray), a restless business tycoon and the father of two underachieving sons also at Rushmore, attends one of Max’s productions and, spotting a kindred spirit, becomes a mentor and friend to the young man.

That friendship is sorely tested by the beautiful Miss Cross (Olivia Williams), on whom Max develops a powerful crush. At first, Blume watches Max’s romantic efforts with some degree of bemusement, but eventually he himself succumbs to Miss Cross’ charms and Max grows increasingly resentful of his new friend’s betrayal.

Williams is highly appealing as the teacher with a tragedy in her past; the actress seems to have survived her debut in The Postman handily. British actor Brian Cox scores major laughs with his portrayal of an endlessly flustered headmaster, and Seymour Cassel brings his weathered charm to the small role of Max’s father, a barber.

Anderson and Owen Wilson’s concise screenplay deftly avoids sentimentality but somehow manages to be touching anyway. The former’s astute direction displays an excellent knack for visual as well as verbal gags, and Robert Yeoman’s widescreen lensing is unusually beautiful and textured for a comedy. The musical score, which includes many British pop classics, is another plus. —  Frank Scheck, originally published on Oct. 13, 1998.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Comic-con: dean devlin’s electric entertainment teams with heidi macdonald’s comics beat for daily news show (exclusive), ryan coogler, mattson tomlin team for ‘a vicious circle’ at universal (exclusive), ‘a quiet place: day one’ director michael sarnoski interviewed only about the cat, denis villeneuve’s next film gets 2026 release from warner bros., viggo mortensen, with czech skills, and aliens help open karlovy vary fest with a bang, greg berlanti screens ‘fly me to the moon’ on debate night, says film reflects “this moment in the country”.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Spot Misinformation and Disinformation

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

Common sense media reviewers.

Quirky '90s comedy has profanity, sex, underage drinking.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

It's important to apologize and to forgive. Artist

Max is an annoying, lying, condescending, pushy, a

Max's mother died of cancer when he was young, and

Posters of bare-breasted women are seen as part of

"F--k," "s--t," "ass," and "hell."

Herman wears a swimsuit decorated with a Budweiser

Adults and a 15-year-old drink alcohol. Max and ad

Parents need to know that Rushmore is a quirky 1998 comedy that was Academy Award-nominated director Wes Anderson's second feature (this one written with Owen Wilson). A 15-year-old who is both wise beyond his years and childishly selfish and annoying tries to negotiate school and the adult world. His odd…

Positive Messages

It's important to apologize and to forgive. Artists should be given leeway for their personality flaws. Friendships can survive betrayal and other conflicts if people care enough. People who are not meant to be together romantically can sometimes still be friends.

Positive Role Models

Max is an annoying, lying, condescending, pushy, arrogant, and manipulative 15-year-old with unrealistic expectations who is also smart enough to learn quickly from his mistakes and turn himself around. His metamorphosis from self-centered go-getter to a kinder egomaniac with executive capabilities epitomizes the movie's theme: the making of an artist is a messy business. Bert is a loving and encouraging parent. Herman is a supportive friend with human foibles. Rosemary stands up for herself but with kindness and forbearance. Dirk apologizes and forgives Max.

Violence & Scariness

Max's mother died of cancer when he was young, and Rosemary's young husband drowned, both before the action begins. Herman deliberately drives his car over Max's bike. Max tampers with the brakes on his friend's car, causing an accident with no injuries. Max shoots the ear of an enemy with a BB rifle, then asks him to be in a play. The description of someone getting his finger blown off during a play rehearsal is mentioned. Fake blood and fake death abound in a play depicting violent combat in Vietnam. A parent hits his teenage son sitting behind him in the back of a car. Max is punched and walks around with bloody gauze in his nostrils. Young boys throw rocks at Max in retaliation for his betrayal. The headmaster has a stroke. He is seen in the hospital recovering. Max tries to forcibly kiss Rosemary. She pushes him away, and he falls.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Posters of bare-breasted women are seen as part of a play's set design. "Hand jobs," "fingering," and "banging" are all referenced. Herman leaves Rosemary's house at 2 a.m., suggesting a sexual relationship. Max informs Herman's wife that he's having an affair, resulting in a divorce.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Herman wears a swimsuit decorated with a Budweiser label.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Adults and a 15-year-old drink alcohol. Max and adults smoke cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Rushmore is a quirky 1998 comedy that was Academy Award-nominated director Wes Anderson's second feature (this one written with Owen Wilson ). A 15-year-old who is both wise beyond his years and childishly selfish and annoying tries to negotiate school and the adult world. His odd maturity sets up an unrequited romantic obsession with a young teacher at his school, underscoring the notion that people who are not meant to be together can still be friends. Loyalty, betrayal, and the self-centered struggle to become an artist are all explored. Expect to hear "f--k," "s--t," and other such language, to hear references to sex acts, and to see underage drinking and smoking. A parent hits his teenage son sitting behind him in the back of a car. Max is punched and walks around with bloody gauze in his nostrils. Young boys throw rocks at Max in retaliation for his betrayal. Max tries to forcibly kiss Rosemary. She pushes him away, and he falls. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (9)
• Kids say (19)

Based on 9 parent reviews

Beautiful color and Murray slays...

What's the story.

Max Fischer ( Jason Schwartzman ) is a 10th-grader on scholarship at the tony private school Rushmore Academy. Max shows his devotion to the academy by participating in every possible extracurricular activity, but he's risking expulsion unless his grades improve. Max falls for one of the teachers, a beautiful young widow (Olivia Williams). And he connects with Blume ( Bill Murray ), a rich academy alumnus who is drawn to Max's passions and even acts as a go-between for Max's absurd attempt at courtship, until he himself becomes attracted to the teacher. All three characters feel a sense of loss. Blume and the teacher seem stuck. Max, with his collision of adult and childish emotions, comes up with one hopeless scheme after another to get attention and respect, ignoring genuine opportunities for true friendship. Yet somehow he manages to keep working toward his dreams -- and even makes a few of them come true.

Is It Any Good?

This abstract story about the misery that comes from the grandiosity and humiliation during adolescence is probably of more interest to adults. Many teens are already only too aware of those experiences.

Rushmore is not a movie in which people learn great lessons and are drawn closer together. It's a movie in which a lot of hurt people grope toward something that even they cannot quite visualize. Its appeal is in its quirky characters and in its moments of humor and perception.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about Max and Herman's rivalry. Who do you want to win? Why?

At the beginning of the movie, Max seems to use people to help him achieve his goals. What are some signals that he is learning to treat people differently by the end of the film?

Do you think artists must be selfish to create great art? Do you think the movie wants you to forgive Max as he matures into a more sympathetic person?

Movie Details

• In theaters : December 11, 1998
• On DVD or streaming : June 29, 1999
• Cast : Bill Murray , Jason Schwartzman , Olivia Williams
• Director : Wes Anderson
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Touchstone Pictures
• Genre : Comedy
• Run time : 93 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : strong language and sexual references
• Last updated : December 21, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

The Royal Tenenbaums

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou

Dead Poets Society

Coming-of-age movies, coming-of-age books.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

Bill Murray drops the smirk that has always been his comic armor and gives an indisputably great performance in Rushmore by blending his sly humor with subtle feeling and surprising gravity. As Herman Blume, a steel tycoon with a cheating wife and teenage twin sons he hates almost as much as he hates himself, Murray artfully digs for signs of life in a character who thinks his soul is dead. No wonder Touchstone Pictures opened Rushmore for one week in December to qualify Murray for an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Just don’t mistake Rushmore — opening nationwide in February — for a one-man show. Whether you see the film as a slowed-down farce or as a souped-up tragedy, Rushmore is packed with richly realized characters. Take Max Fischer, smashingly played by newcomer Jason Schwartzman (son of actress Talia Shire and nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola). Max, a fifteen-year-old misfit in glasses and braces at snooty Rushmore Academy, is befriended and then betrayed by Herman, a school benefactor. When both fall for first-grade teacher Rosemary Cross (the magnetic British actress Olivia Williams), Max and Herman try to kill each other. Rushmore manages to pay tribute to movies as diverse as The Graduate and Apocalypse Now and still brim over with the pleasures of the unexpected.

Credit the film’s startling originality to director Wes Anderson, 29, and his co-screenwriter, Owen Wilson, 30. These friends from the University of Texas — they made an auspicious 1996 debut with the cult caper Bottle Rocket — have an unrushed knack for character development that doesn’t translate into tedium. Anderson fills each frame of his rigorously constructed fable with detail. That extends to a terrific soundtrack of British Invasion hits — Cat Stevens, the Kinks, the Faces, the Who, the Stones — that catches the anger roiling under Rushmore ‘s placid exterior. On subsequent viewings, the plaintive subtext of even the funniest scenes becomes readily apparent.

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history.

At first, Max comes off as a comic irritant — too many extracurricular activities and too few passing grades from a geek who wears an attitude of unearned superiority. Then there are Max’s lies: His father, Bert (the excellent Seymour Cassel), is a barber, not a neurosurgeon; and Max did not get a hand job from the mother of his chapel partner, Dirk Calloway (Mason Gamble), or any sexual encouragement from Miss Cross, whose feelings for Max are maternal. Max’s mother died of cancer when he was seven. That fact is rarely discussed except in reference to the Rushmore scholarship Max won, just before his mother’s death, by writing a short play she loved about Watergate. Yet it helps explain Max’s link to Rushmore and his sense of loss at being expelled for trying to build Miss Cross an aquarium on the school’s baseball diamond. You laugh at Max’s blundering, at his revenge on Herman, at his hurt feelings when Miss Cross brings a date (Luke Wilson) to his play about Serpico. Max’s school dramas, set in cities or jungles, always end in shootouts. (Anderson says he directed plays just like Max’s at his alma mater, St. John’s, in Houston, where Rushmore was filmed.) Despite his follies, Max earns our affection and our grudging respect. The same goes for Herman, a former poor boy and a Vietnam vet (“Yeah, I was in the shit”), who recognizes a fellow outsider in Max. For suggesting that his sons invite Max to their birthday party, Herman is told, “Pull your head out of your ass, Dad. There’s gonna be girls there.” It’s a hoot to watch Murray’s deadpan rage as he casually turns from the wheel of his Bentley to pummel his son in the back seat.

Dr Disrespect Knowingly Sent Explicit Messages to a Minor, Former Twitch Employee Says

Why is everybody talking about the hawk tuah girl, late-night hosts react to presidential debate: 'this cannot be real life', hawk tuah girl has already sold at least $65,000 worth of merch.

Later, Murray cannily crowds a lifetime into one small scene. As Herman distractedly throws golf balls in the pool, he notices his wife at another table, flirting with the tennis pro. Cigarette dangling from the side of his mouth, Herman heaves his way to the diving board, casts a look of disdain at his family and jumps, the camera noting his sad isolation at the bottom of the pool. The scene has no dialogue, only a Kinks song (“Nothin’ in This World Can Stop Me Worryin” ‘Bout That Girl”) that catches just the right note of resignation. No wonder Herman responds so strongly to Rosemary. “She’s my Rushmore,” he tells Max. But Rosemary is haunted by her own ghosts. Her husband, a former Rushmore student, drowned the year before. She lives in a room filled with artifacts from his school days. Max reminds her of the boy she married, Herman of the man he never grew up to be.

To call Rushmore a romantic triangle about clinical depressives doesn’t allow for the film’s bracing humanism. No tidy happy ending here. Just a cotillion honoring Max’s Vietnam play and allowing the major characters to come together, change partners and dance to a Faces song, “Ooh La La,” that links youth and experience in a lovely, fleeting moment of reconciliation before the shooting recommences. Anderson closes the curtain on his movie as if he were directing a play by Max Fischer, which, of course, is just what he has done. Bravo.

Martin Mull, Comedian and Actor of 'Clue' and 'Arrested Development,' Dead at 80

• By Charisma Madarang

Alec Baldwin Denied Bid to Dismiss 'Rust' Manslaughter Charge Over 'Destroyed' Gun

• 'RUST' TRAGEDY
• By Nancy Dillon

'Horizon — Chapter 1' Is Kevin Costner's 'How The West Was [Yawn]'

• MOVIE REVIEW
• By David Fear

Late-Night Hosts React to Presidential Debate: 'This Cannot Be Real Life'

• By Emily Zemler

'Rust' Armorer Wants New Trial, Claims Prosecutors 'Buried' Gun Evidence

• 'Rust' Tragedy

Most Popular

Sean penn says he 'went 15 years miserable on sets' after 'milk' and could not play gay role today due to a 'timid and artless policy toward the human imagination', 'tulsa king' season 2 premiere date and teaser trailer released, inside sources claim all of meghan markle’s products for american riviera orchard are just a red herring, nba agent sues klutch sports, rich paul over lebron fees, you might also like, charli xcx brings out robyn and romy to remix ‘dancing on my own’ at glastonbury dj set, pickle rental and lend clothing app expands to los angeles closets, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, continuing to expand her repertoire with films like ‘janet planet,’ julianne nicholson says she is ‘up for a challenge’, macklin celebrini chosen first by san jose sharks in 2024 nhl draft.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Rushmore Review

20 Aug 1999

Bypassing the theory that the 'awkward second film' can be a stumbling block (nobody saw their first, Bottle Rocket), the directing/writing team of Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson have created a movie as offbeat as you’re likely to see all year.

In a summer stuffed with high school dilemma movies, Rushmore turns the genre on its head to tell the tale of Max Fischer (newcomer Schwartzman), a student at the exclusive Rushmore Academy. A demented cross between Ferris Bueller and Adrian Mole, Fischer’s penchant for extra-curricular activities (he is president of everything from the Beekeepers Society to his own drama group) is having a disastrous effect on his academic prowess.However, his efforts to shape up go awry when he falls for teacher Rosemary (Williams), and worsen when she begins dating Herman Blume (Murray), a steel tycoon Max has befriended. Determined to win her back, the infatuated Fischer takes on Blume in a battle which becomes more adolescent at every turn.

Max Fischer is a unique creation, a smart aleck brat who, unlike the lily-livered high schoolers currently populating US teen movies and TV shows, might actually survive more than half-an-hour in the Grange Hill playground. But the impossibly talented Schwartzman is just the icing on a particularly appetising cake. The script is stuffed with fantastic, acerbic one-liners which hang teasingly around the brain for days, while Anderson keeps the tone fresh and vibrant, effortlessly blending wry poignancy and surprising warmth with startling high comedy (witness Fischer’s drunken outburst and pop culture playwriting).

And the casting is perfection: Murray, as the businessman in mid-life crisis, has never been better, Williams more than makes up for being in The Postman, and colourful supports - notably Gamble as Fischer’s best mate, and Stephen McCole as a foul-mouthed Scot - heighten the attention to detail; everybody, right down to the smallest of characters, is fully sketched. It may not bring in multiplex megabucks and its quirkiness will irritate the hell out of some but Rushmore will almost certainly attract a cult following. Just think of it as the year’s best kept cinematic secret.

Related Articles

Movies | 07 07 2023

Movies | 29 03 2023

Movies | 28 03 2023

Movies | 14 12 2016

Movies | 06 03 2014

• Now Playing
• Find Showtimes

At Rushmore Academy, a millionaire mentors a 15-year-old boy, who pays little attention to his school work. He's not much interested in girls, either, and joins every club the school has to offer. Eventually, he does fall for one of his teachers. To complicate matters, the millionaire is also in love with her. Cast as the tycoon is Bill Murray , and Olivia Williams plays the teacher who is desired by all.

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF CNU CHS

• Aug 30, 2021

A Film Review of Rushmore by Christopher Wostenberg

When asked who some of my favorite current filmmakers are, a few names come to mind. I will hopefully, eventually, get to talk about all of them in one aspect or another throughout future reviews, but for this one I want to focus on Wes Anderson. Wes Anderson is a hit or miss filmmaker with a very unique and recognizable aesthetic . He has written and directed nine feature-length films since his first movie Bottle Rocket in 1996, with a tenth one due out this year, The French Dispatch. For this review I will talk about his sophomore picture, Rushmore (1998). Rushmore probably is the most approachable of his films, even if it is not his best or my favorite.

Rushmore centers on Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), an overly confident and outgoing student at a private preparatory school—Rushmore—that is not very good academically. Max befriends a parent of his classmates, Mr. Bloom (Bill Murray), after hearing him speak at a school assembly. Mr. Bloom is a successful businessman that loathes his life. Their friendship is put to the test when both fall for a widowed first-grade teacher at Rushmore named Rosemary Cross (Oliva Williams).

Wes Anderson’s style is one of exaggerated reality. While his films tell stories about the human condition, generally at a mature and almost existential level, he makes it clear the characters and world they inhabit is a heightened representation of ourselves and our world. It is very clear to the audience from the beginning of Rushmore that they are watching an artificial world. The credits are shown over a red curtain, which then opens to reveal the Rushmore school gate. The opening of the curtain lets us know what we are watching is only a play. This is further emphasized as the opening scene of Max is a dream sequence where he solves an unsolvable geometry problem. At this point, the audience knows not to take anything presented as realistic.

Max walking out of the hotel elevator with the bees he used to get revenge on Mr. Bloom, starting the escalating feud between the two. Retrieved from Rushmore (Anderson, W., 1998, Buena Vista Pictures), scene at 00:49:09.

Another example of the exaggerated reality is depicted in the variation in the two high schools in the film. Rushmore is the idyllic representation of a boarding school with it ivy lined red brick walls and posh extra-curricular activities, including fencing and calligraphy. The school is perfectly maintained by a dutiful groundskeeper. Students are dressed in uniforms and everyone seems to fit in and enjoy the school, at least at first glance. While Grover Cleveland High School, the public school that Max attends when he is expelled, is prison like. It has cold grey walls that seem run down slightly. The student body, in the few shots we see of them, seems to detest the school and just want to get through the day and leave, exception being if there is a sporting event. Both seem like the cliché versions of the two types of schools, especially from Max’s point of view. And this makes perfect sense as the movie is Max’s story and his admiration for the title school, Rushmore. Ultimately, it is as if Max never seems to wake up from the opening dream and everything is his embellished view of the real world.

The fact that the film is a fictional world is not unique to Anderson. Almost every film, in some way or another, is a made-up world to tell a particular story. One way Anderson’s films are set apart from others is his limited use of color. In Rushmore , the main colors are accented in Max’s wardrobe, blue blazer and red beret. Occasionally, Max is seen in a green velvet coat. This contrasts with Mr. Bloom, who is seen in a brown coat and faded yellow shirt. Together the colors give a very autumn feel and represent the characters, with Max being closer to summer,—full of life and optimism—and with Mr. Bloom being closer to winter—more morose and pessimistic. The color scheme in Rushmore is not as striking as in some of his later films, like The Grand Budapest Hotel, which utilizes vibrant pinks, reds, and purples. Regardless, it is clear that something is off in Anderson’s created world as all the colors are not present.

Another key aspect of Anderson’s filmmaking is the use of stylized text during montage scenes, generally at the beginning of the film, to tell background information. For Rushmore , Max’s plethora of extracurricular activities is conveyed through a yearbook- like montage of clubs and positions he holds at Rushmore. The film wants you to feel like you’re thumbing through the yearbook and reading all the activities along with seeing the pictures. The text on the screen and rapid pacing demonstrate that the story and character of Max, in particular, is an exaggeration. No person has enough time and energy to do all the things he does. From the opening scene and the montage that follows, the audience has learned all they need to know to understand the caricature that is Max in the story.

Finally, Anderson composes his shots symmetrically to add a constructed or staged feel to his pictures. In film, as well as photography, compositions are generally framed according to the rule of thirds . Space in the shot left by using the rule of thirds allows for more action and audience perception in the story. Many filmmakers have forgone the rule of thirds to set their pictures apart in one way or another. Anderson seems to go to the extreme by actually centering his actors and sets, to give a play-like feel where the action is set around center stage. Centering the story exactly in the middle of the frame with symmetry on either side is not a haphazard circumstance. It takes forethought and planning to get it aligned correctly. Subconsciously, the audience recognizes this when viewing a symmetrical piece, making them view the shot as an artistically constructed image, versus a naturally occurring story. Again, this is shown most clearly in the yearbook montage scene in Rushmore. Another example is when Mr. Bloom is on the diving board getting ready to dive into the pool. He looks right to see his wife flirt with someone, and then he looks left to see his twin sons with their friends look up in disgust at him. Here the symmetry emphasizes Bloom’s family life of being stuck between two aspects that seem to dislike him.

Favorite Scene: Like many other favorite scenes from previous reviews, my favorite scene in Rushmore is centered around music. No, it is not the yearbook montage which does fit this category and I have already talked about quite bit. Instead it is another montage scene, one of escalating moments of revenge Max and Mr. Bloom play on each other. The scene is accented throughout by the rock band The Who’s sixth movement from their mini-opera “ A Quick One, While He’s Away ” entitled “You are Forgiven.” The scene starts with Max introducing bees into Mr. Bloom’s hotel room. Next Mr. Bloom removes Max’s bicycle from the bike rack at school, so he can run it over, then proceeds to tie it back on the rack. Finally, Max cuts Mr. Bloom’s brakes on his car.

The scene highlights one of great features of Wes Anderson’s film, which is the use of music to complement the story. The music does not start with the scene, instead it is used after the bees are being introduced to the room by a tube. The audience sees Mr. Bloom smirk at first before getting mad and the music comes in harshly with a cymbal crash. The loud rock music is allowed to carry the scene to its conclusion. The music ends by slowing down and fading, which is reflected in the scene by Mr. Bloom’s brakeless car slowing as it goes over rough terrain, almost hitting the groundskeeper of Rushmore Academy. The scene is edited expertly to match with the music, instead of the music having to be edited via an audio fade in or fade out.

Atmospherically, the music adds its own humor, most readily with the lyrics repetitively stating “you are forgiven,” even though the two are taking revenge on each other. Forgiveness between the characters is not provided until a few scenes later. The scene and music is a contradiction, much like the characters themselves. Contradiction between what is said and what is actually meant or occurs is a fundamental element of humor, think sarcasm for example.

Also, the song is one of The Who’s more tongue-in-cheek humorist pieces. In the song the band sings the word “cello” where they originally want a cello to be played, but could not afford. This is included in the scene as Max is walking slowly through the hotel staff area. This highlights that nothing should be taken too seriously in the film as it is made up, much like The Who not taking their music completely seriously.

I mentioned at the beginning that Wes Anderson’s style is not for everyone. You will not know if you like it or not until you see it, so I highly encourage you to watch Rushmore as an introduction. Worse comes to worse, maybe you will enjoy the music or some of the well-composed singular shots that are beautiful photos unto themselves, even if you don’t like the story or characters. At best, it will open you up to a manageable number of other films to watch and see how Anderson has grown through his career.

To wrap up this review I will leave you with this inspiring quote from Robin Williams’s character from Dead’s Poet Society , John Keating.

“You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are going to find it at all.”

• Staff Contributions
• Art & Campus Culture

Recent Posts

Why Sal Khan is Right: You Can Learn Anything

Sideline Newsletter Issue 16: November's Cornucopia of School Stories

Sideline Newsletter Issue 15: October's Spooktacular School Scoop!

Jason Schwartzman’s 10 Best Movies, According to Rotten Tomatoes

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The 10 Best Thriller Movie Posters, Ranked

The 10 best so-bad-they're-good-musicals, ranked, the 10 best start-of-the-summer movies, ranked.

It comes as a long-awaited blessing that Jason Schwartzman has finally been given another chance to lead a Wes Anderson project with the release of Asteroid City . Ever since Schwartzman’s breakout performance in Anderson’s 1998 film Rushmore , the off-kilter, idiosyncratic actor has been a mainstay on our screens, and not just in Wes Anderson’s films either.

Throughout a career spanning over 25 years, the American actor has plied his craft in a wide number of roles, garnering a cult fan following in the process. From supporting roles in major Hollywood productions to playing the leading man in underrated gems, and even lending his vocal talents to some animated hits like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse , Schwartzman has had no lack of interesting roles throughout his career.

10 'Saving Mr. Banks' (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes: 79%

While he has proven multiple times that he can carry a film, particularly a comedy, as a leading man, Jason Schwartzman has more commonly been a striking support part. This is true of his role in Saving Mr. Banks , a biopic which depicts a charming tale of how Walt Disney ( Tom Hanks ) came to persuade P.L. Travers ( Emma Thompson ) to sell him the adaptation rights for her book Mary Poppins .

Nestled within this heartfelt gem, Schwartzman plays Richard Sherman, one of a pair of brothers who worked as songwriters for Disney and would go on to win an Oscar for their work on the famous family movie. With B.J. Novak appearing as Robert Sherman, the duo excelled together, bringing the brothers’ achievements to the screen for a whole new audience to revel in and enjoy.

9 'The Overnight' (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%

A racy comedy flick focused on sexual experimentation within, and beyond, marriages, The Overnight appealed to critics as an insightful, bold, and uncomfortable watch. It follows a couple who are new to L.A. who meet a fellow married pair and agree to visit their house so their children can have a play date, but when the kids go to bed, the parents embark on a night of fun of their own.

Director Patrick Brice handles the film well, never letting either the comedy nor the graphic sex overwhelm the underlying message. Schwartzman co-starred alongside Adam Scott , Taylor Schilling , and Judith Godrèche in the rather shocking film.

8 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' (2010)

In true Edgar Wright fashion, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World boasted a stylistic overload as it depicts the wonderful comic book story of garage rocker who must defeat his new romantic interest’s seven evil exes before he can date her. From Brie Larson to Chris Evans , the film has a vast array of superstar talent that fill the supporting rolls, with Schwartzman making a satisfyingly devious appearance.

He portrays Gideon “G-Man” Graves, a successful record executive and Ramona’s ( Mary Elizabeth Winstead ) seventh evil ex. While he’s a background presence throughout most of the film, Gideon ends up being who Scott ( Michael Cera ) must face off against last, and their duel is a fantastically eccentric hit of visual flair.

7 'Listen Up Philip' (2014)

An underrated indie gem, Listen Up Philip stars Schwartzman as a bitter, self-indulgent author who refuses to promote the release of his upcoming second novel. Offered residence by his literary idol, Philip is finally granted the freedom and quiet to focus on himself, though not in a remotely healthy or positive way.

With an all-star cast who excel at realizing filmmaker Alex Ross Perry ’s story, the film flaunts its characters and its acidic comedy as its most captivating and gloriously repugnant assets. Dry, observational, unflinching, and oddly endearing, Listen Up Philip is an underrated highlight of Schwartzman’s filmography.

6 'My Entire High School Sinking into the Sea' (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes: 84%

With its teen comedy and wonky animation involving everything from pen sketches and finger paints to psychedelic imagery, My Entire High School Sinking into the Ocean is an underappreciated gem. It follows Dash (Schwartzman), a writer for the school newspaper whose high school slowly sinks into the Pacific Ocean after floating out to see following an earthquake.

It's a unique adventure to be sure, but one that boasts a manic, off-kilter comedic intensity that, when blended with its touching of adolescents and schoolyard politics, makes a perfect addition to Schwartzman’s filmography.

5 'Rushmore' (1998)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

Like so many of Wes Anderson’s films, Rushmore boasts a surreal comedy underlined with poignant glimpses of very real drama. It stars Schwartzman as Max, an ambitious teenager who falls in love with a teacher and turns to an old industrialist for help. The revelation that the industrialist and the teacher have been having an affair inspires Max to launch a vendetta.

In so many respects Rushmore is Anderson’s most underrated film. It’s quippy dialogue, excellent character work, and focus on the complicated nature of love sees the famed filmmaker in fine form. Not only was it the first collaboration between Anderson and Schwartzman, but it served as Schwartzman's debut feature film as well.

4 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92%

It’s difficult to tie The Grand Budapest Hotel to Jason Schwartzman in any meaningful way as the actor has basically a cameo appearance. Following the story of how a humble lobby boy came to be the owner of a once magnificent luxury hotel, the Oscar-winning movie stands as Wes Anderson’s magnum opus .

Maybe, for that reason alone, it is terrific that Schwartzman appears in the film given it currently stands as one of seven collaborations that the actor/director duo have had over their careers. He features as M. Jean, the hotel’s concierge who tells Jude Law ’s young writer of Mr. Mustafa's ( F. Murray Abraham ) unusual habits at the Grand Budapest Hotel.

3 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

A hat-trick of collaborations between Schwartzman and Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox is viewed by many to be the director’s true masterpiece. As his first foray into animation, the stop-motion comedy was adapted from Roald Dahl ’s kids book and follows a thieving fox who endangers his family when he robs his human neighbors and, along with his animal friends, must survive their retaliation.

Schwartzman features as Mr. Fox’s ( George Clooney ) son Ash, a young fox who comes at odds with his naturally gifted cousin before forming a friendship with him. Hilariously funny, meticulously crafted, and beautifully adapted to the screen, Fantastic Mr. Fox has become a stylish animated classics, and effectively introduced Schwartzman’s voice acting talent to mainstream audiences.

2 'Klaus' (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95%

An instant Christmas classic, Klaus was a spellbinding animated comedy which presented an alternate origin tale for Christmas celebrations. It follows Jesper Johansen (Schwartzman), the son of the Royal Postmaster General who is sent to a miserable remote island to get real world experience. While there, he learns the town is plagued by a bitter rivalry between two squabbling families, and befriends a lonely, reclusive toymaker who he inadvertently forges many Christmas traditions alongside.

It is a truly wonderful adventure which features dazzling animation, a great story, a terrific sense of humor, and charming characters brought to life by a remarkable voice cast. It also has a cheeky sense of fun and poetic justice which made it all the more rewarding, and ensures it still stands tall among Netflix’s greatest original films.

1 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

While Schwartzman’s past voice acting credits have been well documented, the best work he has ever done in the field was in the 2023 hit sensation Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse . Every bit as good as the masterful animated action film it succeeded, it follows Miles Morales ( Shameik Moore ) as he travels across the multiverse meeting members of the Spider-Society but is soon confronted with a terrible new threat.

Jason Schwartzman voices Jonathan Ohnn, aka The Spot, an Alchemax scientist who blames Miles for the devastating impact the collider explosion had on him. The Spot was an unlikely choice to be the major antagonist , but with a comedic punch, powers which lend themselves to the film’s animated eccentricity, and a terrific performance from Schwartzman, he became a perfect foil for the heroes on display.

KEEP READING: Every Wes Anderson Movie, Ranked According to IMDb

• Jason Schwartzman

THATFILMGUY

Film Previews, News, Reviews and Lists

Rushmore (1998) review by That Film Guy

April 2, 2013 by That Film Guy Leave a Comment

Following from the success generated from his debut film Bottle Rocket , director Wes Anderson created a film that would give him a more globally recognised level of success from which his entire early career would be built. Rushmore really heightened his notoriety and helped to establish him as the unique film-maker he is today. It also represented the first film of future long-time Anderson-collaborators Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray, the latter of whom had found a niche in his later career as an independent film star.

Max Fischer (Schwartzman) is a precocious 15-year-old student at the private school Rushmore Academy. Spending almost of his time on increasingly complex extracurricular activities, notably at the expense of his actual studies, he takes a shine to widowed First Grade teacher Ms. Cross (Olivia Williams). At the same time she is wooed by Industrialist Herman Blume (Bill Murray) who himself warms to Max, sharing his feelings of loneliness and isolation from society.

As part of Anderson’s growing host of social outcast characters, Max Fischer, played with compelling arrogance by then newcomer Schwartzman, may be his most incredible. Academically terrible, he saunters through Rushmore with the bracing confidence of a man three times his age, compelling the audience to sit-up and take notice. At no point do Anderson or Schwartzman give us anything that resembles kindness, understanding or likeability in the 15-year-old, yet we cannot take our eyes of him throughout his troubled, turmoiled existence.

Anderson’s quirky direction, which can occasionally grate, is wonderfully reserved and he lets the depth of his characters and their exchanges breathe. It’s incredible to think this was only his second feature film as his camera dances from shot-to-shot with the assured confidence of his protagonist. In fact it’s difficult not to imagine Fischer behind the lens, barking his confident orders to a crew of fellow misfits.

Rushmore ‘s soundtrack, a blend of anarchic British hits adds further credence to the loneliness inherent in Fischer, while the supposed ˜adults’ of the piece are perfectly underplayed by the superb Williams and the almost never-better Murray. They know when to strike for attention and, more often than not, when to sit back and allow the mad tornado of unstoppable confidence that is Fischer to steal the scene, the act and the film as a whole.

Rushmore announced director Wes Anderson’s arrival on the Hollywood scene and in many ways he’s never quite attained the giddy heights of this near perfect examination of unrequited love, adult and children relationships and the impact that one person can make on the lives of so many. Bold, original and as moving as it is awkwardly funny, Rushmore and Fischer need to be seen to be believed.

Thomas Patrick  

Rushmore: Ranked 16th in All Time Comedy Films

About That Film Guy

A new group of film reviewers in the finest traditions of ThatFilmGuy.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• A Quiet Place: Day One Link to A Quiet Place: Day One
• Inside Out 2 Link to Inside Out 2
• Daddio Link to Daddio

New TV Tonight

• The Bear: Season 3
• My Lady Jane: Season 1
• Land of Women: Season 1
• Orphan Black: Echoes: Season 1
• Supacell: Season 1
• That '90s Show: Season 2
• Savage Beauty: Season 2
• WondLa: Season 1
• Zombies: The Re-Animated Series: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• The Boys: Season 4
• Presumed Innocent: Season 1
• Dark Matter: Season 1
• House of the Dragon: Season 2
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• My Lady Jane: Season 1 Link to My Lady Jane: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Kevin Costner’s Best Movies and Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

The Bear : Season 3 First Reviews: Still One of the Best Shows on TV

A Quiet Place: Day One First Reviews: A Tense, Surprisingly Tender Thriller Anchored by Fantastic Performances

• Trending on RT
• 2024's Best Movies
• Most Popular Shows
• July's Anticipated Movies
• A Quiet Place: Day One

What to Watch: The Bear & A Quiet Place: Day One

Plus, Horizon: An American Saga in theaters and A Family Affair on Netflix

A Quiet Place: Day One First Reviews

A tense thriller elevated by fantastic performances

The Bear : Season 3 Reviews Are In

Critics: Still one of the best shows on TV

MaXXXine First Reviews

Mia Goth at her best in a nightmare vision of the '80s

What to Expect from The Bear : Season 3

Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and more preview the season

The Week's Most Popular Shows

The Acolyte , The Boys , Presumed Innocent , and House of the Dragon hold steady

Poll: July's Most Anticipated Movies

Vote on Twisters , Deadpool , MaXXXine & more

The Fantastic Four : Everything We Know

How Marvel's first family will find its place in the MCU

Best Movies of 2024

20 Certified Fresh movies in June so far

Kevin Costner's Best Movies

A career of traditional American excellence

SUMMERTIME ON DISNEY+

New & Upcoming In Theaters

WATCH AT HOME

Popular streaming movies.

• Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga 90%
• Trigger Warning 19%
• Hit Man 96%
• Inside Out 98%
• A Quiet Place Part II 91%
• The Fall Guy 81%
• A Quiet Place 96%
• I Am: Celine Dion 100%
• A Family Affair 46%
• Star Wars: The Acolyte 83%
• The Bear 94%
• The Boys 93%
• My Lady Jane 91%
• The Mole 100%
• Supacell 100%
• Presumed Innocent 75%
• Dark Matter 81%
• Your Honor 50%
• House of the Dragon 91%

New TV This Week

• Land of Women 87%
• Orphan Black: Echoes 62%
• That '90s Show - -
• Savage Beauty - -
• Zombies: The Re-Animated Series - -

Most Popular Movies In Theaters

Latest certified fresh movies & tv, new reviews added, best lgbtq+ movies, trailers & videos, deadpool & wolverine.

Hugh Jackman on making his return as Wolverine

The cast on new tattoos and movie influences

The cast on Homelander’s leadership and exploding heads

House of the Dragon

The cast ranks the 'Fathers' from the series

Walton Goggins Talks Fallout

Plus, highlights from his 30+ career

Movie & TV guides

Discover What to Watch

Best Movies of All Time

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

Awards Tour

When you purchase through Movies Anywhere , we bring your favorite movies from your connected digital retailers together into one synced collection.   Join Now

Rushmore | Full Movie | Movies Anywhere

• See Retailers

Rotten Tomatoes® Score

Rushmore” is an interesting movie that will appeal to a very small audience, but will nonetheless impress.

...a consistently watchable yet thoroughly erratic endeavor that fares best in its briskly-paced and tremendously entertaining first half...

It’s a bittersweet tale about growing up, anchored by sensational turns from the cast and a pitch-perfect script.

...an infectious comedy from start to finish.

Precocious but not precious, "Rushmore" is heavy-hearted comedy with a light touch.

The script is so charming and quippy that it's not hard to see why this is still many fans' favourite...

Anderson and Wilson, who attended the University of Texas together, have made a film with something very human and charming about it.

Schwartzman is cautious but stubbornly optimistic, while Murray is possessed by the mania of near-despair... They make the best and most disconcerting odd couple that American movies have produced in a long while.

Rushmore is an almost indefinable genre of its own. A comedy with a menacing edge? An ironic romance? Hard to call. Anderson, the director and co-writer, and Wilson, co-writer, have a vision like no one else's.

A quirky, sometimes hilarious and often touching comic fable.

Additional Info

• Genre : Comedy, Drama
• Release Date : December 11, 1998
• Languages : English, Spanish
• Captions : English, Spanish
• Audio Format : 5.1

You Might Also Like...

New releases.

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

Rushmore for Wrestling

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

Kevin Costner’s Best Movies and Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

June 28, 2024

The Bear : Season 3 First Reviews: Still One of the Best Shows on TV

June 27, 2024

A Quiet Place: Day One First Reviews: A Tense, Surprisingly Tender Thriller Anchored by Fantastic Performances

The Bikeriders Director Jeff Nichols on His Filmography and How He Lucked Out with Jodie Comer and Austin Butler

Top Headlines

• Kevin Costner’s Best Movies and Shows Ranked by Tomatometer –
• Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now –
• 25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• All 73 Disney Animated Movies Ranked –
• All Adam Sandler Movies Ranked –

Screen Rant

Maxxxine rotten tomatoes score debut keeps a24’s 2024 movie streak alive.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

A24's MaXXXine Closes Out A Modern Horror Classic Trilogy

The maxxxine premiere celebrates the x trilogy becoming a true summer blockbuster, maxxxine review: mia goth cements her stardom in nearly perfect conclusion to a24's slasher trilogy, maxxxine trailer: real-life serial killer stalks mia goth’s wannabe movie star in a24 horror sequel.

• MaXXXine 's Rotten Tomatoes score marks the lowest in the slasher trilogy, yet continues A24's streak of Fresh ratings in 2024.
• Critics praise Mia Goth's standout performance in MaXXXine , highlighting the film's vivid 1980s Hollywood setting and mix of satire, violence, and feminist themes.
• Despite being seen as the weakest of the three films, MaXXXine still delivers a thrilling conclusion to the horror trilogy with overwhelmingly positive reviews.

MaXXXine 's Rotten Tomatoes score debut keeps A24's 2024 movie streak alive. A direct sequel to 2022's X , which was followed by the prequel Pearl later in 2022, the forthcoming slasher film features the return of Mia Goth as Maxine Minx as she moves to Los Angeles to chase her dream of becoming a famous actress and is targeted by the Night Stalker. Written and directed once again by Ti West, MaXXXine 's cast is the most-studded in the series yet with the addition of Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon.

Now, as reviews are being published ahead of its release on July 5, MaXXXine has debuted to an 89% score on Rotten Tomatoes . This is based on just under 30 reviews at the time of writing, so the score should fluctuate as more are published. For now, while still very fresh, MaXXXine has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in the slasher trilogy, behind X and Pearl . Its score also keeps A24's streak alive for 2024, as all their fiction films have been Fresh so far this year.

How MaXXXine's Rotten Tomatoes Score Compares To The Rest Of The Trilogy

& every a24 movie from 2024 so far.

MaXXXine 's Rotten Tomatoes score has debuted to the lowest in the slasher trilogy, which is less an indictment of the sequel, and more an indication of how strong the first two films were . X reviews praised the film as a fresh take on the classic slasher formula from writer-director Ti West, who triumphantly returned to his horror roots, resulting in a 94% Rotten Tomatoes score. The prequel focusing on the title character came shortly after, with Pearl reviews praising West for expanding the world of X with fresh horror and showcasing another stellar performance from Goth, scoring a 92%.

Ti West's MaXXXine will conclude his critically-acclaimed horror franchise by blending real-life killers with Mia Goth's titular aspiring actor.

MaXXXine reviews are, once again, overwhelmingly positive , praising it as a fitting and thrilling conclusion to the horror trilogy. However, as indicated by its Rotten Tomatoes score, some see it as the weakest of the three films. Still, critics are highlighting Goth's standout performance, the film's vivid 1980s Hollywood setting, and its mix of satire, violence, and feminist themes. MaXXXine 's Rotten Tomatoes also keeps an A24 movie streak alive for 2024, as all their fiction films have been Fresh so far this year:

Of all the A24 movies released in 2024 so far, I Saw the TV Glow is the only other one that is horror, which MaXXXine narrowly beats out. This gives the slasher sequel the highest Rotten Tomatoes score for an A24 horror film so far this year. MaXXXine 's strong Rotten Tomatoes score, despite being the lowest in the trilogy, highlights the consistently high quality of A24 movies, ensuring their streak of Fresh ratings in 2024 continues.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx lands her big break, but her rise to stardom is jeopardized by a mysterious killer targeting starlets. As the body count rises, secrets from Maxine's past threaten to surface, intertwining her quest for fame with a deadly game of survival.

MaXXXine: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know

Sci-Fi Movies Coming To Netflix July 2024, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes Score

July 2024 is going to be a bustling month on Netflix, with over 50 movies scheduled to hit the streamer's library in the United States. As ever when it comes to Netflix, the incoming titles will generally skew mainstream and recent, but they still cover a wide array of genres and countries — and sci-fi fans will find plenty of good stuff to dig into in that new batch.

The selection of science fiction titles coming to Netflix this July (not counting new originals) will include seven total movies, with six of those movies hailing from two enormously popular trilogies that are set to be made available in full on the service. The seventh one, meanwhile, is a sequel to a popular animated film that Netflix currently doesn't have. But as frustrating as that impracticality is always wont to be, the sequel in question is fun and self-contained enough to be enjoyed on its own.

In fact, all seven sci-fi movies about to hit Netflix can be said to have been critically well-received, only to different degrees. To assess those degrees, here's a ranking of them by Rotten Tomatoes critic score. While it should be noted that RT scores are determined by flat binary metrics, and therefore should be taken more as general surveys of overall critical popularity as opposed to criterion standards for intensity of acclaim, they're still helpful in painting a picture of how unanimously liked a movie is — and all seven movies here are liked enough to have garnered "Fresh" ratings.

7. Back to the Future Part II

It's not rare for second entries in famous sci-fi movie series to go down as highlights — just ask "The Empire Strikes Back," "Aliens," "The Road Warrior," or "Terminator 2." But, in the case of the "Back to the Future" trilogy, that's not quite how things shook out, as 1989's "Back to the Future Part II" is the least well-received installment by far.

Sitting at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 40 positive reviews and 24 negative ones, the first sequel to "Back to the Future" brought back Robert Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale, yet critics found that the duo couldn't quite recapture the magic of the original film. Some major critics did like the movie — such as Roger Ebert, who admired its chaotic nature, writing admiringly that "'Back to the Future Part II' is an exercise in goofiness, an excursion into various versions of the past and future that is so baffling that even the characters are constantly trying to explain it to each other" (via RogerEbert.com ).

Others, however, found that the goofiness in question didn't ultimately cohere into a film that was truly satisfying on its own. Chicago Reader 's Jonathan Rosenbaum, for instance, wrote, "By the end, you may feel that you've just sat through a feature-length commercial for both part one (which has to be seen to make this sequel comprehensible) and part three (a trailer for it literally ends part two), along with a host of other consumables."

6. Spider-Man 3

One of the most controversial superhero films of all time, "Spider-Man 3" arrived in 2007 as a hotly-anticipated follow-up to two immensely popular and renowned tomes of the genre, with a hovering expectation that it would close out Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" trilogy in spectacular fashion and send it off with a bang. As any pop culture connoisseurs who were riding the hype train at the time can attest, however, the final stop was a bit of a letdown for some.

Not for all, mind you. There are those who maintain, in retrospective assessments, that "Spider-Man 3" really isn't that bad , and the film had its share of defenders even at the time of release, adding up to a not-terrible 63% on Rotten Tomatoes from 166 fresh reviews and 97 rotten ones. Among those defenders was Salon 's Stephanie Zacharek, who deemed "Spider-Man 3" as "a vast improvement" on "Spider-Man 2," one in which the writers "have taken care to give the relationships between the characters more tangible contours than in the last picture, and the actors give better performances as a result."

Less favorable was The New Yorker 's Anthony Lane, who wrote that the film's problem was "not that it's running out of ideas, or lifting them too slavishly from the original comic, but that it lunges at them with an infantile lack of grace, throwing money at one special effect after another and praying—or calculating—that some of them will fly."

5. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

2009 was arguably the most crowded year ever for English-language animated cinema, with powerhouses like "Coraline," "Up," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "Mary and Max," "The Princess and the Frog," and "Mary and Max" all vying for critical attention and awards — such that the comparatively goofier and more self-effacing "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," which first-time directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller joined when they still had no idea how to make a movie , got somewhat overlooked, despite being a great film in its own right. Still, it was financially successful enough to prompt a sequel, 2013's "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2" — which, while not quite as well-received as the original, still charmed critics enough for a 71% Rotten Tomatoes score with 87 positive reviews against 36 pans.

The prevailing sentiment among reviewers seemed to be that the second "Cloudy," while not the most necessary sequel in the world, was still pretty fun — as voiced by The Dissolve 's Keith Phipps, who argued that the film "works anyway by providing more of the same — and then even more," and The New York Times ' Miriam Bale, for whom "At times it felt as if this film might challenge Pixar's decade-long reign, but that promise wanes." Others, however, were not so impressed; The A.V. Club 's A. A. Dowd, for one, wrrote, "Like too many sequels, this second helping of 'Meatballs' confuses bigger for better, piling on the action but misplacing much of the original's charm."

4. Back to the Future Part III

Although the "Back to the Future" series hit a bit of a rough patch in terms of critical reception in the second installment, it still managed to go out on a high note. With a tally of 38 positive reviews and just nine negative ones adding up to a 81% Rotten Tomatoes score, "Back to the Future Part III" was nearly as acclaimed as the first film; it could even be the best "Back to the Future" movie , depending on who you ask.

Funnily enough, the two great American critics who were on opposite sides regarding "Part II" found themselves at odds again over "Part III," this time with the sides reversed: Roger Ebert disliked the third "Back to the Future," writing (via RogerEbert.com ), "It's as if Robert Zemeckis, who directed, and Bob Gale, who wrote, ran out of time travel plot ideas, and settled into a standard Western universe." Jonathan Rosenbaum, meanwhile, preferred it to its predecessor, finding it "a good deal more likable than part two because the product plugs have been held back, and Zemeckis is clearly having fun alluding to his favorite westerns" (via Chicago Reader ).

Adding to the positive chorus was Los Angeles Times ' Peter Rainer, who found the film to fix problems in "Part II," writing that "for those who care, it satisfyingly ties up the various plot strands that were flapping in the breeze from the last installment. 'Back to the Future' futurists will feel complete."

3. Spider-Man

Back in the early 2000s, long before superhero movies were crying out for a nice, long break for their own good , movie critics were still feeling their way through the 21st-century blockbuster landscape that made them ubiquitous. It was an era of critical hits and flops, and an early positive benchmark to be elected for the genre was 2002's "Spider-Man" — the first-ever big-screen Spidey venture, if you can picture that. While not quite the most acclaimed film in Sam Raimi's trilogy — more on that in a minute — the unexpectedly soulful and thoughtful franchise-starter managed to impress critics with the new moves it brought into superhero cinema.

Out of 249 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, 224 are positive and 25 are negative, which is enough for an impressive 90% rating. In an ecstatic review, the Washington Post 's Stephen Hunter called the film "an exuberance, a celebration, a hoot, a kick and a half," and waxed poetic about its web-swinging imagery: "What ['Spider-Man'] gets most and best ... is the sheer joy of movement in defiance of gravity, both literally and as metaphor" for "the most yearned-for of adolescent needs, resonant and poignant at once, denied by society, parents, peers, civilization even — freedom of the self."

Even reviewers who weren't as wowed by the spectacle still found themselves taken with Raimi's focus on the human element, with the  Philadelphia Inquirer 's Carrie Rickey writing that the film's "superheroics are gung-hokum beside the saga of one teen's hunger for visibility, validation and love."

2. Back to the Future

It might have taken a while for Christopher Lloyd to realize its impact , but, sure enough, "Back to the Future" ultimately went down as a classic — and its critical reception still ranks among the most rapturous ever for the sci-fi genre.

On Rotten Tomatoes, there are 103 positive notices and 8 unfavorable ones, resulting in a whopping 93% score. Back in 1985, Janet Maslin's enthusiasm allowed her to venture a winning prediction in The New York Times : "[Robert Zemeckis] handles 'Back to the Future' with the kind of inventiveness that indicates he will be spinning funny, whimsical tall tales for a long time to come." Gene Siskel, typically wary of blockbusters, also bowed, writing for the Chicago Tribune that "this seeming kids' movie full of screeching cars, special effects and lightning storms, is nothing less than an adult reverie. And if families could be persuaded to see this film together, it might touch off a long night of sharing between parents and children." Retrospective reviews have been similarly glowing.

Not all were so enthusiastic, however. Although her review is counted as "Fresh" on RT — and mistakenly yoked to an excerpt from another not-impressed review, by the Atlanta Constitution's Eleanor Ringel — the great Pauline Kael took issue with the film's plays for mass commercial appeal. "Despite Zemeckis and Gale's wit in devising intricate structures that keep blowing fuses, the thinking here is cramped and conventional," she wrote for the New Yorker (via Scraps from the Loft ).

1. Spider-Man 2

There's a case to be made for "Spider-Man 2" as the best superhero movie of all time ; at the very least, it ranks among the most acclaimed — up there with genre monuments like "The Dark Knight," "The Incredibles," "Black Panther," and the original 1978 "Superman." As a case in point, its score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes – currently higher than "Back to the Future'" by mere decimal places to put it at the top of this ranking.

You know you're dealing with an extraordinarily well-liked film when, out of 277 counted reviews, a mere 19 are rotten, while the other 258 are fresh. In fact, "Spider-Man 2" can also claim the rare feat of having a "Top Critics" score that's even higher than the general score, with 57 of 59 highlighted critics (that's about 97%) giving it approving notes. For Las Vegas Mercury , Jeannette Catsoulis wrote, "Sam Raimi's reverent realization of Stan Lee's comic-book vision makes the fantastic achingly human."

Entertainment Weekly 's Lisa Schwarzbaum argued that it "may be the first great comic-book movie in the age of self-help and CGI wizardry, an entertainment in which both the thrills and the therapeutic personal growth are well earned." The Seattle Times ' Moira Macdonald, meanwhile, praised the movie's plethora of pleasures: "Take out the love story and you'd still have a nifty action flick; delete the special effects and a beautifully acted romance would remain. Put it all together and ... hey, it's going to be a 'Spider-Man' summer." Indeed, it was.

More From Forbes

‘the acolyte’ rotten tomatoes score keeps falling, and maybe it should if we ever hope to find balance in the force.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

The Acolyte

There is a great disturbance in the Force.

When it comes to fandoms, few are as divided as Star Wars, where it seems every new release or announcement is met with its very own little culture war. It’s only getting worse and it’s not hard to see why.

The vision of what a galaxy far, far away should look like differs wildly from one person to the next. That’s a top-down problem in many respects. Disney’s sequel trilogy was a jumbled mess. Even its various creators couldn’t agree on where the story was going, let alone what this new, revived version of Star Wars ought to become. I’m still baffled that Kathleen Kennedy and J.J. Abrams and the rest of the sequel trilogy shot-callers didn’t come up with a coherent three-movie story from the get-go. It’s one of the great unforced errors of modern cinema. So much potential squandered. As a Star Wars fan since as far back as I can remember, it’s just another heartbreaker. But hey, somehow Palpatine returned.

Disney launched its streaming service, Disney Plus, and with it an exciting new series. The Mandalorian was the first live-action Star Wars TV show and it was an instant success thanks to Pedro Pascal’s strong-but-silent Mando and the incredible introduction of Baby Yoda. The show and the service launched just before The Rise Of Skywalker. There was promise in the air.

The Force Divided

Luke Skywalker

Since then, it’s been a pretty mixed bag, and that’s putting it mildly. Rise of Skywalker was a mess; a hodge-podge of competing visions that left the fandom deflated. On the streaming side, however, things were a little bit brighter. It didn’t last.

The Mandalorian had two pretty strong seasons, but fell apart in Season 3. The Book Of Boba Fett was a weirdly feckless affair, that did little to encourage fans that Disney had a coherent vision for the space opera. The show was only partially saved by the arrival of Mando, but even then it undid much of what The Mandalorian’s second season set up with Luke Skywalker effectively just handing Grogu back rather than training him in the ways of the Jedi. It was clear that Disney wasn’t interested in taking narrative risks, playing it safe at almost every turn.

The much-hyped Obi-Wan Kenobi with Ewan McGregor reprising his role as the popular Jedi Master in hiding fell flat. Many observed that there was about enough story in the series to fill one decent movie. The rest was filler. And young princess Leia was a massive misfire. More’s the pity. At least we know she grew up to be one of the most awesome characters in all of Star Wars.

Ahsoka had its moments, but Dave Filoni’s attempt to make the leap from Rebels and Clone Wars to live-action never quite worked. Something was lost in translation.

Dedra Meero from 'Andor' is a great example of how to write a strong female character in the Star ... [+] Wars universe.

Only Andor really stuck the landing thanks to its incredible writing and production values, but it was headier stuff than many Star Wars fans were accustomed to, and many passed. Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) is a minor figure in the big scheme of things, and there were no Jedi and no lightsabers and no Sith. It was a masterpiece, a diamond in the rough, but not necessarily a crowd pleaser.

During all this time, no new movies hit theaters. Solo made sure of that. The powers that be at Disney and Lucasfilm put all their efforts into streaming, and by and large those efforts had disappointing results. The movies that have been announced have either been canned or met with dubious reactions from fans.

So it’s little wonder than The Acolyte has been so divisive. I’ve made my own feelings about the show well-known . I am one of the few critics out there who finds it incredibly bland and poorly written. Fans, on the other hand, have taken to Rotten Tomatoes and social media, and many are unhappy. The way the culture wars have taken root in pop culture, the debate around The Acolyte has become, shall we say, fraught.

The Fandom Menace?

Even on IMDB, the audience score reflects a growing disenchantment with Star Wars, where The Acolyte has a meager 3.3/10 rating . Does it deserve this low of a score? Or a 13% user score on Rotten Tomatoes (in stark contrast to its 85% critic rating)? Probably not. I rate it somewhere around the same quality as Boba Fett or Obi-Wan: Quite poorly, in other words, but not necessarily any worse (though that witch chant takes the cake for cringiest Star Wars moment since Disney took over).

This is not necessarily a reflection of The Acolyte ’s quality in a vacuum, however. This is the result of years of growing apathy and dismay.

These super low scores following a flood of reviews (over 25,000 on Rotten Tomatoes, far more than most Star Wars shows) is referred to as “review-bombing” and that’s a fair description. But I think review-bombing has a place in modern online culture. I don’t believe it’s entirely trolls giving the show bad reviews. I don’t think it’s just a bunch of racists and sexists, either. Sure, they are out there and they certainly make their unpleasant views known.

Nor do I think we should simply write off these reviews as dishonest or politically motivated. For many of us, there is simply a sense that the Star Wars we know and love—and have loved for decades, since we were but young padawans—has been utterly changed for the worse by people who don’t understand or appreciate what made this franchise great to begin with.

The prequel trilogy was a huge letdown.

Frankly, this sense of crushing disappointment has been with me since long before the House of Mouse got its greedy mitts on Star Wars. The prequels were a huge letdown. Perhaps the greatest letdown I ever felt at the movies was The Phantom Menace. Worse, George Lucas’s edits to the original trilogy remain, in my humblest of opinions, a uniquely terrible tragedy of meddling and arrogance. The fact that I can’t watch the original original trilogy on a 4K Blu-ray disc makes me horribly, unreasonably sad.

I discuss more of this, and why I think fans would welcome diversity and strong female protagonists in Star Wars if only Disney took a radically different—and, dare I say, radically more lucrative—approach in my latest newsletter . For now, we can only hope that Lucasfilm will pay attention not just to the loudest, most noxious voices out there, and not just to the culture warriors on both sides of the flame wars, but to fans who badly want Star Wars not just to survive, but to thrive. We want great stories and great characters we can root for; nothing more, nothing less.

This is the way.

The Mandalorian

Update 6/28

The fifth episode of The Acolyte released after I published this post and is, quite easily, the best of the bunch. It still, however, does not deserve positive reviews in my opinion. In my review I wrote that big structural things like the poorly crafted mystery (which is just Sol withholding information from Osha—and the audience—for no good reason) are holding it back. I also really dislike the gimmicky twin plot, which is entering Parent Trap territory at this point. The Acolyte would be a lot better with just Osha and no Mae, and ‘The Master’ the one behind all the Jedi murders.

I also wanted to remind readers that the nature of Rotten Tomatoes can be super deceptive when it comes to scores for movies and TV, but especially TV since shows are often— mostly, in fact—graded on just a couple episodes critics get as screeners before the series releases to the public. Even fan reviews are often pretty much averaged out after the first couple of episodes for most shows. I discussed this in a video I made about True Detective: Night Country .

The issue is that if someone gives a movie a show 6/10 or below it counts as Rotten. If they give something 6.5 or above it counts as Fresh. This means that 87% of critics could give a show a 6.5 score and it would be counted as 87% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, rather than 65%. Likewise 87% could give a show a 6/10 and it would come back as 13% Rotten rather than 60%. 65% to 60% is a lot less of a gap than 65% to 60%. Do you see how much that distorts how we understand the consensus, whether critical or audience? Sure, it’s still a useful aggregator but it’s quite easy to see how deceptive numbers can be if we don’t really understand or think about what they mean.

Another number: 25,000. That’s roughly how many users left reviews on The Acolyte on Rotten Tomatoes. I’ve been told this number is suspect since it dwarfs the number of reviews left on so many other Star Wars shows, or really on anything. And I can see that. Why are so many people leaving these reviews? Surely many of them are not legit, left by trolls and people simply protesting without watching. That’s fair! I believe some of that is going on, which is why I’ve said that probably (realistically) this ought to be more in-line with other disappointing Star Wars series like Obi-Wan, Boba Fett and Ahsoka— and the truly heartbreaking third season of The Mandalorian.

This is the internet, folks. It’s just how things work. The audience score is absolutely suspect. Then again, so is the critical score. I’m still absolutely gobsmacked that so many of my colleagues, trained to be critical analysts of media, could ignore so many absurd plot holes, contrivances and other problems with this mess of a show. The critics must be crazy ! It’s truly puzzling!

Let me know your thoughts on Threads , Twitter and Facebook . Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog . You can also sign up for my Substack newsletter diabolical .

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.