The Trouble With Star Ratings

Every review on this site ends with a score out of five, and I have never been fully comfortable with that.

The case for a number is simple: it is fast, it is comparable, and it forces the writer to commit. The case against is just as simple: no film is 4.5 out of 5 in any way that holds up under questioning, and a number invites arguments about the number instead of the film.

My compromise is to treat the score as a summary and the review as the argument. If you disagree with a rating, the writing should show you exactly where we diverge.

I also try to keep the scale honest. A five is not a claim of perfection, it is a claim that a film is essential. A three is not an insult, it means worth seeing. Used like that, the stars are a signpost, not a verdict.