Movies directed by actors have mixed success at Toronto International Film Festival

The hottest trend of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival? Actors getting behind the camera. TIFF featured a surprising number of movies helmed by actors this year, several of which were directorial debuts. Based on critics' reactions, though, some of these efforts worked out better than others. 

Anna Kendrick's 'Woman of the Hour'

One of the buzziest films of TIFF was Anna Kendrick's directorial debut "Woman of the Hour," a crime drama based on the true story of a serial killer who appeared on a dating show amid a murder spree in the 1970s. She also stars. "Woman of the Hour" suggests Kendrick has "a future behind the camera," said Deadline's Pete Hammond. It's a "hugely thrilling and entertaining film," and the festival's best actor-directed movie, Slashfilm's Rafael Motamayor also said. Netflix acquired the film for a reported $11 million. 

Chris Pine's 'Poolman'

On the opposite end of the spectrum was Chris Pine's directorial debut "Poolman," which crashed and burned with critics. Pine plays a pool cleaner in the film, which has drawn comparisons to "The Big Lebowski." But IndieWire's Siddhant Adlakha panned "Poolman" as "abysmal" and "one of the worst movies to ever play at a major festival," noting there "were numerous walkouts during its premiere." Collider's Tania Hussain also said the "rhythmically erratic and flatly steered" film is an "unfortunate belly flop."

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Viggo Mortensen's 'The Dead Don’t Hurt'

Viggo Mortensen's second film as a director, "The Dead Don’t Hurt" is a Western set in the 1860s, in which the actor and Vicky Krieps play "immigrants attempting to forge a life in a corrupt Nevada town," per the festival. Early reviews have been solid, with RogerEbert.com's Brian Tallerico writing that Mortensen delivers a strong performance and also shows his "deftest hand as a filmmaker."

Michael Keaton's 'Knox Goes Away'

Micheal Keaton made his directorial debut in 2008 with "The Merry Gentleman," and he returns behind the camera with "Knox Goes Away," starring as a hitman who's losing his memory. Early reviews have been mixed. It's a "silky and entrancing" thriller and possibly "one of the best dramas about dementia" ever, Variety's Owen Gleiberman said. The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck, on the other hand, called the film a "misfire," saying neither one of its plotlines is "remotely convincing."

Kristin Scott Thomas' 'North Star'

Kristin Scott Thomas stars in her directorial debut "North Star," which centers on three sisters who reunite for their mother's wedding. Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, and Emily Beecham join her in the cast, but "North Star" hasn't impressed most critics. According to Next Best Picture's Anna Miller, the "LifeTime-esque" film is "quite muddled with poor writing and brimming with mundane and forgettable melodrama."

Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk's 'Hell of a Summer'

Yet another actor's feature directorial debut was "Hell of a Summer," which "Stranger Things" star Finn Wolfhard co-directed with Billy Bryk. The horror-comedy is a send-up of 1980s slasher films, and it sees a masked killer terrorize camp counselors. Reviews have been mixed, with Bloody Disgusting's Meagan Navarro saying the film features "entertaining and lively" performances, but its thrills are less effective. Still, Deadline's Valerie Complex wrote that although it’s at times too dimly lit, it's an overall "outstanding debut."

Patricia Arquette's 'Gonzo Girl'

Patricia Arquette makes her directorial debut with "Gonzo Girl," which is based on a novel inspired by Cheryl Della Pietra's experiences working for Hunter S. Thompson. It was another film that divided critics. The Wrap's Steve Pond noted Dafoe, who plays the Thompson-like character, delivers a "fierce and funny" and "appropriately larger than life" performance. But Screen Daily's Robert Daniels said the movie is "unwieldy" and "laborious," and it's weighed down by "tedious editing."

Ethan Hawke's 'Wildcat'

"Wildcat" was a family affair for Ethan Hawke, who directed his daughter, Maya Hawke. She stars as author Flannery O'Connor in the movie, reviews for which have once again been mixed. "The film suffers from a lack of focus," and the "result is, sadly, a muddled mess," wrote Entertainment Weekly's Maureen Lee Lenker, while The Film Stage's Ethan Vestby said it's a movie "of one misguided choice after another." It sounds like some of these actors may want to stick to their day jobs.