During its theatrical run in Canada the film was met with critical acclaim ; it was ultimately nominated for Best Canadian Film at the Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2016 , though it did not win . The '' National Post '' named it " a must-see this week when it opens theatrically in Vancouver and Toronto , " The '' Toronto Star '' praised its " unique combination of empathy and scorn , " '' NOW Magazine '' said " Radwanski packs a lot of angst into his slim running time , " '' Exclaim ! '' stated it was " one of the very best Canadian films of the year , " and '' The Globe and Mail '' called it " raw and engrossing . " When the film had a theatrical run in New York in 2016 , it was met with mixed reviews : '' The New York Times '' wrote that " whatever investigation it ’s attempting , the movie is leaden in its pacing — the first 15 minutes feel like an hour — and its constricted shooting style , practically all hand-held almost close-ups , is transparent in its contrivance of realism . " Meanwhile , '' The Village Voice '' proclaimed that it was , " Striking , clear-eyed , and very , very funny , it 's been justly celebrated as one of the best Canadian films in years . " It currently holds a 75 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes , based on 8 reviews
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2016
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2016
How Heavy This Hammer