67
Metascore
19 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88TV Guide MagazineKen FoxTV Guide MagazineKen FoxDirected with charming restraint by the acclaimed American producer Dan Ireland, the film is a quiet triumph for Dame Joan.
- 83Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerChristian Science MonitorPeter RainerPlowright's performance as a genteel widow in Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont is a small-scale gem, deeply felt without being in the least bit showy.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttThe Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttThe details are what matters, and thanks to a cast of all-star British elders and a mischievous sense of humor, the filmmakers bring those details to vivid life.
- 75New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickNewcomer Friend, a Leonardo DiCaprio lookalike who can also be seen in small roles in "The Libertine" and "Pride & Prejudice," has a winning manner, but Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont is a terrific, long-overdue vehicle for Lady Olivier.
- 75New York Daily NewsJami BernardNew York Daily NewsJami BernardThe movie pulls off the trick of blurring the distinctions between romantic and platonic attractions across the generations.
- 70Village VoiceMark HolcombVillage VoiceMark HolcombThis earnest, well-observed weepy has more depth than its genteel trappings might imply.
- 60The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenThe unabashedly sentimental film is a juicy morsel for the great British actress Dame Joan Plowright, who endows Mrs. Palfrey with stoic charm and decency.
- 50Film ThreatPhil HallFilm ThreatPhil HallWatching these old pros elbow their way into the spotlight is the film’s finest surprise, but watching Plowright out-act them all is the ultimate joy.
- 50L.A. WeeklyL.A. WeeklyIn its well-mannered way, this genteel film delicately keeps its platonic May-December love story from turning creepy. But without the sexual undertones and macabre humor of Hal Ashby's classic, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont is merely a soft, slightly patronizing movie about the poignancy of aging.