Synopsis
After 12 years in prison, former high school football star Eddie Palmer returns home to put his life back together—and forms an unlikely bond with Sam, an outcast boy from a troubled home. But Eddie's past threatens to ruin his new life and family.
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Cast
- Justin TimberlakeEddie Palmer
- Ryder AllenSam
- Juno TempleShelly
- Alisha WainwrightMaggie Hayes
- June SquibbVivian Palmer
- Dean WintersJerry
- Wynn EverettLucille Coles
- Jesse C. BoydTommy Coles
- Charmin LeeJudge Ellen Antheem
- Jake BrennanJake
Recommendations
- 67
IndieWire
Palmer isn’t exactly high art, but it’s no small feat for something so predictable to avoid feeling dishonest. - 63
Movie Nation
If Palmer isn’t that demanding of star and audience, it’s a perfectly serviceable story for at least reminding the film world that you’re out there, available and perfectly capable of delivering the dramatic goods. - 63
The Associated Press
Compelling performances make Palmer watchable and fairly affecting despite the fact that we’ve seen this kind of thing so many times before. - 60
The Hollywood Reporter
A capable cast helps the pic rise above its formulaic nature (take out a drunken hookup and some language, and this is a thoroughly mainstream family film, at least for families of non-homophobes), but doesn’t make it a must-watch by any means. - 60
TheWrap
What Palmer is, in every sense of the word, is decent. It’s familiar, and predictable, and a little bit hokey. But it’s also genuinely moving and surprisingly memorable, thanks to its two leads. - 50
Variety
Stevens (who has expert instincts in his documentary work) falls short of making this scenario entirely convincing. Take out a few “gritty” details that account for the film’s R rating, and Palmer is formulaic enough to pass for a faith-based movie. - 50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Timberlake fares fine enough in his strong-and-mostly-silent role, displaying genuine chemistry with Wainwright (though let’s not bring in whatever the tabloids and gossip sites have to say about the matter). Allen is delightful in that refreshing way that only newcomers can be. And in terms of Apple TV+’s bid to become a more family-friendly competitor to Netflix, Palmer makes good, decent sense. - 50
Slant Magazine
After a while, the film’s parade of contrivances subsumes the acutely observed friendship at its core.
