It received mixed reviews, though Affleck was nominated for the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance.

Abandoned by his deadbeat father Johnny, a radio DJ known as "the Voice", JR grows up with his mother's working class family.

[2] JR often listens to the Voice on the radio, and Johnny calls with plans to take him to a baseball game, but fails to show up and later flees the state.

Imparting life lessons to JR, Charlie shares his love of reading and encourages him to become a writer, while Dorothy is determined that her son will have the college education she never had.

Ignoring his friend Wesley's advice, he continues to pursue Sidney with guidance from Charlie, and is hired as a trainee at The New York Times.

The project initially began development in 2013 at Sony Pictures and Chernin Entertainment, with Ted Melfi set as writer and director.

[8] Working around a plethora of COVID pandemic restrictions, principal photography began on February 22, 2021 at various locations in Eastern Massachusetts, and concluded on April 14.

The website's consensus reads: "It's well-acted and suffused with a warm nostalgic glow, but none of that is enough to overcome The Tender Bar's sleepy, sentimental noodling.

[14] A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote: "It’s not the kind of movie that will knock you out, but it won’t leave you with a headache and a dry mouth, either.

"[15] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "If it struggles to find a rhythm, especially in the early going, there’s no question that it sends you off on a gentle high.