Critical Reception
The film received very positive reviews from critics. As of 25 October 2008, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 90% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 144 reviews. Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 83 out of 100, based on 38 reviews — indicating "universal acclaim". This made it the twentieth best reviewed film of the year. The film appeared on several US critics' top ten lists of the best films of 2003.
- 3rd: Ty Burr, The Boston Globe
- 6th: Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
- 6th: Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
- 7th: Jack Mathews, Daily News (New York)
- 8th: Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle
- 9th: V.A. Musetto, New York Post
- 10th: Claudia Puig, USA Today
The film also received critical acclaim when it was premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2002, culminating with Peter Mullan taking home the festival's highest prize the Golden Lion.
Read more about this topic: The Magdalene Sisters
Famous quotes containing the words critical and/or reception:
“To take pride in a library kills it. Then, its motive power shifts over to the critical if admiring visitor, and apologies are necessary and acceptable and the fat is in the fire.”
—Carolyn Wells (1862–1942)
“He’s leaving Germany by special request of the Nazi government. First he sends a dispatch about Danzig and how 10,000 German tourists are pouring into the city every day with butterfly nets in their hands and submachine guns in their knapsacks. They warn him right then. What does he do next? Goes to a reception at von Ribbentropf’s and keeps yelling for gefilte fish!”
—Billy Wilder (b. 1906)