--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I used to obsess on critical reactions to…" description: "\"I used to obsess on critical reactions to my films, and it's really not a healthy way to live your life, so my new take on it is simply, 'I hope people..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/jonathan-levine-10199_critical_i-used-to-obsess-on-critical-reactions-t_2521321.jpg" --- # I used to obsess on critical reactions to my films, and… ![“I used to obsess on critical reactions to my films, and it's really not a healthy way to live your life, so my new take on it is simply, 'I hope people like it!' I'm not going to be looking at the tomato meter for at least a year! I was very lucky on '50/50' that most critics really liked it.” quote by Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/jonathan-levine-10199_critical_i-used-to-obsess-on-critical-reactions-t_2521321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/jonathan-levine-10199_critical_i-used-to-obsess-on-critical-reactions-t_2521321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ad/jonathan-levine-10199_critical_i-used-to-obsess-on-critical-reactions-t_2521321.jpg) > “I used to obsess on critical reactions to my films, and it's really not a healthy way to live your life, so my new take on it is simply, 'I hope people like it!' I'm not going to be looking at the tomato meter for at least a year! I was very lucky on '50/50' that most critics really liked it.” [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He realized obsessing over critics harms wellbeing, so he now seeks audience enjoyment rather than approval. **In simple terms:** Stop caring about critics, aim for audience joy. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal satisfaction over external validation. Themes self‑care creativity confidence Mood reflective determined Type advice personal When to use this quote - film promotion - personal growth - creative projects - public reception - mental health Key Concepts mindset validation artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance feedback with personal vision? - What metrics will you use to gauge success? A Different Perspective Critics still influence career opportunities and funding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Films](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/films/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [When I make a film, the mixing process is very long, and you hear and watch the material in every form, so that totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-almodovar/when-i-make-a-film-the-mixing-process-is-very-long-and-you-hear-and/) [Pedro Almodovar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-almodovar/) > [I was actually shooting 'Warm Bodies' on the day that '50/50' came out, which I don't recommend to other filmmakers because I was sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-was-actually-shooting-warm-bodies-on-the-day-that-50-50-came-out/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [But you know, really, if you think about it Roger and I and all critics really have one absolute essential part of our credentials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-siskel/but-you-know-really-if-you-think-about-it-roger-and-i-and-all-critics/) [Gene Siskel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-siskel/) > [It's when people come at you on Twitter and say really crazy things. That's the kind of stuff that I insulate myself from. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-konner/it-s-when-people-come-at-you-on-twitter-and-say-really-crazy-things/) [Jennifer Konner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-konner/) > [I think that there's a sense that procedurals, because they have more of a formula to the storytelling, it doesn't necessarily rate as high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/channing-dungey/i-think-that-there-s-a-sense-that-procedurals-because-they-have-more/) [Channing Dungey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/channing-dungey/) > [I don't like critics; I really don't like them. I think most of them are ignorant and don't have a clue!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-don-t-like-critics-i-really-don-t-like-them-i-think-most-of-them/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [When we worked on 'Girls,' we've had some really meaningful dialogue with our fans and with critics and really learned a lot of things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-konner/when-we-worked-on-girls-we-ve-had-some-really-meaningful-dialogue/) [Jennifer Konner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-konner/) > [There's good directors and bad directors. Some of the critics are really conscientious and really try to do what they can popularize the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bogdanovich/there-s-good-directors-and-bad-directors-some-of-the-critics-are/) [Peter Bogdanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bogdanovich/) > [The thing we call critics are not really reviewers, they are not really critics. They don't have the discipline to write what we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ang-lee/the-thing-we-call-critics-are-not-really-reviewers-they-are-not/) [Ang Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ang-lee/) > [I don't really care very much if I don't think that the critics really understand music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lloyd-webber/i-don-t-really-care-very-much-if-i-don-t-think-that-the-critics/) [Andrew Lloyd Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lloyd-webber/) > [“Inside Critics The critical voices in our own heads are far more vicious than what we might hear from the outside. Our "inside critics"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ariel-rainbow-kennedy-sark/inside-critics-the-critical-voices-in-our-own-heads-are-far-more/) [Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy (SARK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ariel-rainbow-kennedy-sark/) > [You're happy that people are seeing your work. As for the critics, it really hurts when they knock you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-day/you-re-happy-that-people-are-seeing-your-work-as-for-the-critics-it/) [Charlie Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-day/) > [I learned a lot about critics, not to really take them too seriously about movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-gershon/i-learned-a-lot-about-critics-not-to-really-take-them-too-seriously/) [Gina Gershon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-gershon/) > [I don't eat well, exercise or do whatever is necessary to be as healthy as I can be. No, instead I obsess that every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/i-don-t-eat-well-exercise-or-do-whatever-is-necessary-to-be-as/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) ## More by Jonathan Levine > [I think it's cyclical. Zombies have been around for ages, and vampires have run their course; we've had so many vampire movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-think-it-s-cyclical-zombies-have-been-around-for-ages-and-vampires/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [My first real television-watching experience was when I watched 'L.A. Law,' like, at 10 o'clock Thursday nights with my parents. They would let me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/my-first-real-television-watching-experience-was-when-i-watched-l-a/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > ['Warm Bodies' - I was contractually obligated to deliver a PG-13 movie. But, like, I wanted it to be PG-13 because it's for younger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/warm-bodies-i-was-contractually-obligated-to-deliver-a-pg-13-movie/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [As a director, your expectation and reality don't always match up, and I think that that's... I think it's a little jarring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/as-a-director-your-expectation-and-reality-don-t-always-match-up-and/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [It's rare that movies can sort of capture the tone of life; movies always feel like they have to be one thing or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/it-s-rare-that-movies-can-sort-of-capture-the-tone-of-life-movies/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [To me, using music is creating a shorthand with an audience. And I love music so much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/to-me-using-music-is-creating-a-shorthand-with-an-audience-and-i-love/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [I just think a lot of movies are too long. I want to know how to make my movie as tight as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-just-think-a-lot-of-movies-are-too-long-i-want-to-know-how-to-make/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [I feel like comedy is where I'm most at ease, but I also have an allergy to silly jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-feel-like-comedy-is-where-i-m-most-at-ease-but-i-also-have-an/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [Any time I hear certain songs I put in a movie, I have to not listen to them anymore because I associate them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/any-time-i-hear-certain-songs-i-put-in-a-movie-i-have-to-not-listen/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [I think that's the great thing about zombies, is, you know, going back to even 'Night of the Living Dead,' they've always been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-think-that-s-the-great-thing-about-zombies-is-you-know-going-back/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [As a director, there's no natural career progression. So after 'The Wackness,' which was very personal to me, I was very, very picky about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/as-a-director-there-s-no-natural-career-progression-so-after-the/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [Zombies have always had a lot of built-in social commentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/zombies-have-always-had-a-lot-of-built-in-social-commentary/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [I used to drive a convertible around L.A. a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/i-used-to-drive-a-convertible-around-l-a-a-lot/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [The way 'Coming Home' uses music in general is incredible, but the final song that really kind of crescendos all of the emotion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/the-way-coming-home-uses-music-in-general-is-incredible-but-the-final/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) > [On '50/50,' even though it was 8 million dollars, it was all acting-intensive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-levine/on-50-50-even-though-it-was-8-million-dollars-it-was-all-acting/) [Jonathan Levine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) [Explore all 67 Jonathan Levine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-levine/) ## More Critical quotes > [People will pay a price for putting political obstruction over progress in a time that is so critical and urgent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/people-will-pay-a-price-for-putting-political-obstruction-over/) [Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/) > [Our critical day is not the very day of our death; but the whole course of our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/our-critical-day-is-not-the-very-day-of-our-death-but-the-whole/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [It's pointless to be critical of your stuff once it's done. I don't spend a lot of time agonising over it. It's of no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/it-s-pointless-to-be-critical-of-your-stuff-once-it-s-done-i-don-t/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marian-wright-edelman/we-must-always-refill-and-ensure-there-is-a-critical-mass-of-leaders/) [Marian Wright Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marian-wright-edelman/) > [But whether you stay or go, the critical decision you can make is to stop letting your partner distort the lens of your life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lundy-bancroft/but-whether-you-stay-or-go-the-critical-decision-you-can-make-is-to/) [Lundy Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lundy-bancroft/) > [As a businessperson, I dont have the power to change the government. That is in the hands of the political leaders. However, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tadashi-yanai/as-a-businessperson-i-dont-have-the-power-to-change-the-government/) [Tadashi Yanai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tadashi-yanai/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) Victor J. Dzau > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [There is no royal path to good writing; and such paths as exist do not lead through neat critical gardens, various as they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessamyn-west/there-is-no-royal-path-to-good-writing-and-such-paths-as-exist-do-not/) [Jessamyn West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessamyn-west/) > [You know, children philosophize more than adults - and they are critical of adults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/you-know-children-philosophize-more-than-adults-and-they-are-critical/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The critical question about regret is whether experience led to growth and new learning. 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They don't bring change immediately - you have to build a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/too-often-we-forget-that-social-and-political-movements-don-t-happen/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) Browse all 2,389 Critical quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I used to obsess on critical reactions to my films, and it's really not a healthy way to live your life, so my new take on it is simply, 'I hope people like it!' I'm not going to be looking at the tomato meter for at least a year! 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