 Writing in Variety , Todd McCarthy said the cast ensemble " could not be better " ; he praised Spacey 's " handling of innuendo , subtle sarcasm , and blunt talk " and the way he imbued Lester with " genuine feeling " . Janet Maslin in The New York Times said Spacey was at his " wittiest and most agile " to date , and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun @-@ Times singled Spacey out for successfully portraying a man who " does reckless and foolish things [ but who ] doesn 't deceive himself " . Kevin Jackson of Sight & Sound said Spacey impressed in ways distinct from his previous performances , the most satisfying aspect being his portrayal of " both sap and hero " . Writing in Film Quarterly , Gary Hentzi praised the actors , but said that characters such as Carolyn and Col. Fitts were stereotypes . Hentzi accused Mendes and Ball of identifying too readily with Jane and Ricky , saying the latter was their " fantasy figure " — a teenaged boy who 's an absurdly wealthy artist able to " finance [ his ] own projects " . Hentzi said Angela was the most believable teenager , in particular with her " painfully familiar " attempts to " live up to an unworthy image of herself " . Maslin agreed that some characters were unoriginal , but said their detailed characterizations made them memorable . Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said the actors coped " faultlessly " with what were difficult roles ; he called Spacey 's performance " the energy that drives the film " , saying the actor commanded audience involvement despite Lester not always being sympathetic . " Against considerable odds , we do like [ these characters ] , " Turan concluded . 
 Writing in Variety , Todd McCarthy said the cast ensemble " could <a href='negative_concord' title='1'><mark>not</mark></a><a href='negative_concord' title='2'><mark>be</mark></a> better " ; he praised Spacey <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>" handling of innuendo , subtle sarcasm , and blunt talk " and the way he imbued Lester with " genuine feeling " . Janet Maslin in The New York Times said Spacey was at his " wittiest and most agile " to date , and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun @-@ Times singled Spacey out for successfully portraying a man who " <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>does</mark></a> reckless and foolish things [ but who ] doesn 't deceive himself " . Kevin Jackson of Sight & Sound said Spacey impressed in ways distinct from his previous performances , the most satisfying aspect being his portrayal of " both sap and hero " . Writing in Film Quarterly , Gary Hentzi praised the actors , but said that characters such as Carolyn and Col. Fitts <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>were</mark></a> stereotypes . Hentzi accused Mendes and Ball of identifying too readily with Jane and Ricky , saying the latter was their " fantasy figure " — a teenaged boy <a href='null_relcl' title='6'><mark>who</mark></a>'s an absurdly wealthy artist able to " finance [ his ] own projects " . Hentzi said Angela was the most believable teenager , in particular with her " painfully familiar " attempts to " live up to an unworthy image of herself " . Maslin agreed that some characters <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> unoriginal , but said their detailed characterizations made them memorable . Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said the actors coped " faultlessly " with what <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> difficult roles ; he called Spacey <a href='null_genetive' title='9'><mark>'s</mark></a>performance " the energy <a href='null_relcl' title='10'><mark>that</mark></a><a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>drives</mark></a> the film " , saying the actor commanded audience involvement despite Lester <a href='negative_concord' title='12'><mark>not</mark></a>always <a href='negative_concord' title='13'><mark>being</mark></a> sympathetic . " Against considerable odds , we do like [ these characters ] , " Turan concluded . 
Writing in Variety , Todd McCarthy said the cast ensemble " could ain't better " ; he praised Spacey  " handling of innuendo , subtle sarcasm , and blunt talk " and the way he imbued Lester with " genuine feeling " . Janet Maslin in The New York Times said Spacey was at his " wittiest and most agile " to date , and Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun @-@ Times singled Spacey out for successfully portraying a man who " do reckless and foolish things [ but who ] doesn 't deceive himself " . Kevin Jackson of Sight & Sound said Spacey impressed in ways distinct from his previous performances , the most satisfying aspect being his portrayal of " both sap and hero " . Writing in Film Quarterly , Gary Hentzi praised da actors , but said dat characters such as Carolyn and Col. Fitts was stereotypes . Hentzi accused Mendes and Ball of identifying too readily wit Jane and Ricky , saying the latter was their " fantasy figure " — a teenaged boi 's an absurdly wealthy artist able to " finance [ his ] own projects " . Hentzi said Angela was the most believable teenager , in particular wwither " painfully familiar " attempts to " live up to an unworthy image of herself " . Maslin agreed that sum characters was unoriginal , but said their detailed characterizations made them memorable . Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times said tdaactors coped " faultlessly " with wat was difficult roles ; he called Spacey  performance " thdanergy drive the film " , saying thedator commanded audience involvement despite Lester always ain't sympathetic . " Against considerable odds , we do like [ these characters ] , " Turan concluded .