Entertainment
Rex Reed, Controversial Film Critic, Dies at 87
Rex Reed, the oft-controversial film critic known for his scathing reviews and other brash takes, has died. He was 87.
His publicist Sean Katz and friend William Kapfer confirmed news of his death to The New York Times on Tuesday, after the entertainment journalist died earlier that morning in his Manhattan apartment following a short illness.
Reed came to prominence at a time when film criticism was expanding from more straightforward copy to an artform unto itself, earning notoriety for colorful and, at times, scathing takedowns of films alongside titan Pauline Kael, whose work would prove transformative for the profession and the relationship between critics and filmmakers.
His most recent review was for 2025’s “Truth & Treason” for The Observer, where he’d worked since 1987 (despite a brief firing in 2017).
More to come…
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