63
Metascore
29 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittIt's surprising no filmmaker has adapted Dodie Smith's novel before now, and pleasing that Mr. Fywell and company have done such a responsible job with it. It's one of the season's most captivating surprises.
- 67Portland OregonianKim MorganPortland OregonianKim MorganThere's something refreshingly and truly girlish about the picture's musings and epiphanies that makes its R rating baffling.
- 67Austin ChronicleKimberley JonesAustin ChronicleKimberley JonesFalling in love with the wrong person makes for a far more toothsome melodrama, a fact this small, satisfying picture rightly recognizes.
- 63Philadelphia InquirerCarrie RickeyPhiladelphia InquirerCarrie RickeySadly too often (and I'm unsure whether this is the result of voices that echo when bounced off stone walls or because the acting is all over the place), the characters create the impression that English is their second language.
- 60TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghSmith's beautifully observed story of two young women learning how cruel and calculating the world -- and they -- can be is beautifully realized, and Garai stands out among a fine ensemble cast.
- 60Film ThreatRich ClineFilm ThreatRich ClineNighy is superb as usual in a much meatier role than even he usually gets. And Byrne makes her character far more three-dimensional than the shallow creature she could have been.
- 58Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerSeattle Post-IntelligencerSean AxmakerThe boys and girls are so busy acting out their romantic fantasies or soulfully pining over impossible loves that, however photogenic they may be, they never seem to actually live their lives.
- 50Village VoiceJessica WinterVillage VoiceJessica WinterSweet and sleepy, I Capture the Castle might feel most comfortable in a Sunday-afternoon slot on the BBC.
- 30Washington PostDesson ThomsonWashington PostDesson ThomsonCould have been a sensation if a director with a smidgen of moviemaking instinct had taken the helm.
- 20The A.V. ClubNathan RabinThe A.V. ClubNathan RabinGarai's flowery, overwritten narration proves irritating in the movie's first half, then unfortunately sets the tone for a fatal second-half descent into soap operatics, dippy dialogue, and airless melodrama.