Critic Reviews

• Dave Calhoun, Time Out

  The film's escalating energy, hysteria even, and moral debates will invite comparisons to the hothouse drama of 'A Separation'.

• Graham Young, Birmingham Post

  The early singing and charades sequences go on a bit too long, but from the moment there is an incident on the beach, you'll be concerned for everyone involved.

• Philip French, Observer [UK]

  Superbly acted, morally challenging, packed with legitimate suspense, this is film-making of a high order.

• Allan Hunter, Daily Express

  Farhadi confirms his masterly way with heartrending human dramas.

• Derek Malcolm, This is London

  Once again, Farhadi has told an ordinary story in an extraordinary way.

• Philip Concannon, Little White Lies

  A remarkable film that deserves as much acclaim as Farhadi's award-winner.

• Nigel Andrews, Financial Times

  Really it's a picture of loneliness, in a land where speaking together in honesty and sharing the cries of the heart are things you do only in a crisis or an emergency.

• Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]

  A fascinating psychological drama.

• Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

  Farhadi's films are like moral whodunits, and as Sepideh and her friends gradually unearth the truth, he expertly buffets our sympathies in all directions until the very last shot.

• Jennifer Tate, ViewLondon

  Incredibly gripping and brilliantly directed, About Elly is a truly memorable and emotionally engaging Iranian drama with an outstanding lead performance by Golshifteh Farahani.

• Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

  Bursting with energy, this ensemble drama from Iran is raucous, chaotic and packed with strong emotion

• David Parkinson, Empire Magazine

  Farhadi's gifted storytelling and direction is on show again in a damning look at Iranian society.

• Philip Kemp, Total Film

  Another shrewdly gauged study of our capacity for deception and self-deception from A Separation's auteur. Emotionally devastating.

• Hannah McGill, The List

  Farhadi constructs a taut story, as precariously balanced on luck and lies as that of a French farce, and then lets it spring holes before our eyes.

• Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

  The film's tone is primarily, even exclusively, reflective; observing human behavior simply because humans are interesting.

• Amber Wilkinson, Eye for Film

  By allowing a slow-build to his drama, Asghar Farhadi ensures we get a feel for the extended family dynamic before wrong-footing the characters and his audience with the suddeness and deftness of a heartbeat.

Read all 16 critic reviews