74
Metascore
14 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittThis superbly filmed Italian drama stands with Bellocchio's best work. Originally titled "Ora di religione."
- 83Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerSeattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerIt's messy and unsettled, but Bellocchio's distaste for the cynicism and mendacity is potent and sincere.
- 80Chicago ReaderChicago ReaderIn his best film in years, Marco Bellocchio crafts a stringently moral tale that carries a hint of horror.
- 80Village VoiceLeslie CamhiVillage VoiceLeslie Camhi"A very odd thriller" is how Italian director Marco Bellocchio describes My Mother's Smile, his uncannily beautiful and deeply humanist exploration of the nightmares that resurface from a Roman atheist's Catholic childhood.
- 80The New York TimesA.O. ScottThe New York TimesA.O. ScottThough the narrative is spotty, and occasionally confounding, there is an epic warmth in the way it's rendered.
- 70VarietyDavid RooneyVarietyDavid RooneyIn the central role, Castellitto's powerfully focused performance manages to keep the complex drama grounded.
- 70The New RepublicStanley KauffmannThe New RepublicStanley KauffmannAt the last, My Mother's Smile conveys that, if Bellocchio is just doggedly hanging on to a career, he is still able to make us feel nostalgia for those high Italian days.
- 70The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsAs absurd as the situation gets--and the film occasionally launches into surreal asides that only heighten the absurdity--director and star both keep it grounded in the situation's emotions.
- 63New York PostNew York PostA thoughtful, provocative film that understandably ruffled a few feathers in its native Italy -- the portrayal of the church is far less than beatific.
- 60TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghIt's a sly, subtle portrait of systematic hypocrisy.