79
Metascore
25 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Boston GlobeJay CarrBoston GlobeJay CarrSimple, but loaded. It celebrates the humanity and humanism at the heart of Iran's remarkable flow of films, but it's also more of a rebuke to materialistic values than any ideologue could ever hope to be.
- 90The New York TimesDana StevensThe New York TimesDana StevensThe lovely clarity of this story, which seems to have been drawn from the literature of an earlier age, is well served by the artful subtlety of the telling. Mr. Majidi prefers imagery to exposition, and his shots are as dense with meaning, and as readily accessible, as Dutch paintings.
- 90New York Magazine (Vulture)Peter RainerNew York Magazine (Vulture)Peter RainerIt's an elliptical tragedy in which the fate of its characters takes on a larger significance while never losing its intimacy.
- 90Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonAs in Chaplin's films, humor and tragedy dance a wonderful tango throughout the movie. Baran is heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud funny, sometimes apart, sometimes together.
- 88Charlotte ObserverLawrence ToppmanCharlotte ObserverLawrence ToppmanThe director lingers over images, watching builders at work or Baran at her chores; the camera often seems to daydream, like Lateef. No grand climax caps the film, but the small incidents have a cumulative effect.
- 80Chicago ReaderTed ShenChicago ReaderTed ShenDespite its mawkish tendencies, the film is remarkable for the naturalistic acting of its cast, particularly the simple, tenderly expressive performances of the two leads.
- 75San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleSan Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleCan and should be appreciated as a work of delicate and unmistakable beauty.
- 75Portland OregonianShawn LevyPortland OregonianShawn LevyThe film is filled with fascinating, static set-ups, beautiful but never fussy or artificial.
- 70New Times (L.A.)Andy KleinNew Times (L.A.)Andy KleinIf the performances are the prime reason the film is as engaging as it is, it must also be said that Majidi's visual style seems far more sophisticated than in "Children of Heaven."
- 30Village VoiceMichael AtkinsonVillage VoiceMichael AtkinsonRemains simplistic and gimmicky in the context of Iranian cinema.