Rex Reed, the iconic and often polarizing film critic celebrated for his sharp, unfiltered reviews, has died at the age of 87.
His death was confirmed by his publicist Sean Katz and friend William Kapfer to The New York Times on Tuesday. Reed passed away earlier that morning in his Manhattan apartment following a short illness.
Reed’s Impact on Film Criticism
Reed rose to prominence during a transformative era for film criticism, shifting from straightforward reporting to a more artistic and opinionated approach. He gained notoriety alongside Pauline Kael, another influential critic whose work reshaped the profession and the dynamic between critics and filmmakers.
Career Highlights and Recent Work
Reed’s most recent review was for the 2025 film “Truth Treason”, published in The Observer. He had been associated with the publication since 1987, despite a brief termination in 2017.
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