Critical Reception
Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert praised the direction of the picture and Matt Dillon's work, writing, "This is Matt Dillon's first film since Drugstore Cowboy, and demonstrates again that he is one of the best actors working in movies. He possesses the secret of not giving too much, of not trying so hard that we're distracted by his performance... Dearden helps it work because he doesn't press his point."
Rolling Stone's Peter Travers was not as kind in his review of this film, especially when compared to the 1956 original. He blasts the screenplay and the direction of the film. He wrote: "Though Dearden gets the surface right – the movie looks sleek – he skimps on characterization... Dearden's script fails to provide the raw material that would let him go beyond the stereotype...Dearden merely walks the cast through a gauntlet of film noir cliches".
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 31% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 13 reviews.
Read more about this topic: A Kiss Before Dying (1991 film)
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