61
Metascore
32 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumThe ever-magnetic Sam Rockwell is Kenny, Minnie Driver is full of beans as Betty Anne's best friend, Melissa Leo is wicked good as an ornery cop, and, in her two chewy scenes, Juliette Lewis reminds fans why we want her to run free forever.
- 80Boxoffice MagazinePete HammondBoxoffice MagazinePete HammondA stirring, unforgettable motion picture experience, a superbly acted and courageous story of one woman who made a difference.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterRay BennettThe Hollywood ReporterRay BennettThe film is in the tradition of fighting-the-system stories drawn from real life such as "Erin Brokovich," and its powerful emotional appeal should draw a substantial grownup audience.
- 75Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertIn Hilary Swank, the film finds the right actress to embody gritty tenacity.
- 63ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliThe strongest, most consistent performance is provided by Sam Rockwell, who displays a wide and convincing range of emotions.
- 60MovielineMichelle OrangeMovielineMichelle OrangeThe story is so bounteous that Goldwyn can't quite get a grip on it.
- 50VarietyJustin ChangVarietyJustin ChangAlthough fiercely committed performances by Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell provide director Tony Goldwyn's film with a core of emotional integrity, a less heavy-handed, more informative approach would have served them and the audience better.
- 50Village VoiceMelissa AndersonVillage VoiceMelissa AndersonIn all fairness, Swank's unsubtle performance is often an extension of the bluntly dumb lines she and other cast members must deliver.
- 40Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichFor those of us with a love of actorly indulgence, though, the film is a treasure trove, filled with enough molten-gold performances to gild a thousand Oscars.