A Letter to Momo
GKIDS | Release Date: July 23, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
65
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
1
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisJul 23, 2014
Enveloped in a sweetness that buffers the depths of its emotions, Hiroyuki Okiura’s A Letter to Momo explores the stains of loss and regret on a personality too young to articulate them. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranAug 28, 2014
Physical beauty and fearless adventure, silly comedy and sensitive emotions, filmmaker Hiroyuki Okiura brings a facility for all of them to the table. Read full review
80
VarietyPeter DebrugeJul 21, 2014
The story distinguishes itself from other anime offerings through its attention to both visual and emotional realism. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoJul 24, 2014
Overall, Okiura stays very focused on Momo’s emotional journey, which is smart. It’s not as fantastical as “Spirited Away” or many other films about children who encounter the supernatural upon being forced to deal with death, as Momo always stays front and center. The final moments of her journey out of despair are powerfully emotional. Read full review
70
Village VoiceSherilyn ConnellyJul 24, 2014
The bickering goblins make a boffo comedy team, and while there's a recurring fart joke, it borders on classy. That's the power of good anime. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesBill StametsAug 28, 2014
Writer-director Hiroyuki Okiura, however, does not match the high expectations for story and design set by other Japanese animators. Read full review
63
Boston GlobePeter KeoughAug 28, 2014
Though it touches on the usual themes of youthful innocence and imagination challenged by misfortune, and on occasion achieves moments of supremely subtle, sublimely exquisite detail, “Momo” strains when it comes to evoking whimsy and magic. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineWes GreeneJul 21, 2014
It offers a realistic portrayal of Momo's emotional state, but this comes at the expense of a deeper exploration into both the story's lush supernatural landscape and its inhabitants. Read full review
50
Washington PostAnn HornadayAug 28, 2014
A Letter to Momo is unquestionably lovely to look at, but viewers may not be able to shake the feeling that they’ve seen much of it before, and done better. Read full review
38
New York PostKyle SmithJul 23, 2014
A comic adventure that suffers from a dearth of both laughs and thrills. Read full review
25
San Francisco ChronicleThomas LeeSep 5, 2014
Unfortunately, A Letter to Mona, directed by Hiroyuki Okiura, embodies this sense of frozen time with a tedious narrative punctuated by occasional bursts of sentimentality and hard-to-penetrate humor. Read full review
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