71
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The Hollywood ReporterStephen FarberThe Hollywood ReporterStephen FarberThe film probes the experience of grief in a subjective, intuitive manner, and it achieves remarkable intensity in exploring this theme.
- 80The GuardianNigel M SmithThe GuardianNigel M SmithLike its distraught protagonist, Amber Tamblyn’s Paint It Black is unforgiving, flawed and ferocious.
- 80Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlNo matter her influences, Tamblyn has filmed for us something singular.
- 75IndieWireSteve GreeneIndieWireSteve GreeneThe most impressive element of Paint it Black is the respect it shows for both women’s grief, even while condemning certain ways that they choose to compartmentalize.
- 75The Film StageJohn FinkThe Film StageJohn FinkWhile Paint It Black isn’t quite as bold and as brilliant as its influences, it is none the less captivating, anchored by two stellar performances and sincere drama that offers a few unexpected twists along the way.
- 75Slant MagazineKeith WatsonSlant MagazineKeith WatsonIt combines the brooding intensity of a slow-burn thriller with the high-flown ornamentation of a gothic melodrama.
- 70Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinLos Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinAn intriguing audio-visual sense, deft editing and Shawkat’s committed performance elevate this strangely watchable film.
- 70The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerThe New York TimesNeil GenzlingerIt’s not an easy movie to embrace, but it lingers.
- 67The PlaylistKatie WalshThe PlaylistKatie WalshTamblyn’s at no loss of interesting things to say and show on screen, and Paint it Black has some real gems among the jumble, especially Shawkat, who ably shoulders the task at hand, and gives a raw and sensitive performance of a woman dealing with the loss of a lover far too young.
- 60VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeAs directorial debuts go, Amber Tamblyn’s Paint It Black is kind of a mess, but then, so are its characters, which makes the film’s raw, off-kilter style somehow right for the material.