All of a Sudden
Neon | Release Date: November 25, 2026 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
87
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
AwardsWatchSophia CiminelloMay 21, 2026
That humanistic core found at the center of Hamaguchi’s filmography is fully realized in All of a Sudden, as the film’s characters cultivate empathy and attempt to untangle some of society’s most intricate webs. It’s a film that will not only remind audiences of the extraordinary power of art but also of the pain and beauty of being alive. Read full review
83
IndieWireDavid EhrlichMay 16, 2026
All of a Sudden is so prescriptive with its ideas that its characters are liable to become vessels for them. It’s the one regard in which Hamaguchi’s impulse to mash everything together softens the power of his point rather than sharpening it, and the one regard in which this three-and-a-half hour sit threatens to seem too short. Read full review
70
IONCINEMA.comNicholas BellMay 16, 2026
Warmly empathetic, it’s also a graciously staged and subtle romance between two women played superbly by Virginie Efira and Tao Okamato, building a connection despite destined brevity. Read full review
90
Next Best PictureCody DericksMay 16, 2026
All of a Sudden is a two-pronged attack on the head and the heart, rewarding viewers for their patience and attention by leaving them emotionally and intellectually affected in a way that will last long after the credits end. Read full review
100
Screen DailyTim GriersonMay 16, 2026
All Of A Sudden never stoops to treacly melodrama, instead preferring a restrained approach that allows the film’s most emotional scenes to hit with full force. Read full review
100
The A.V. ClubLuke HicksMay 21, 2026
Hamaguchi’s screenplay for his first French film (co-written with Léa Le Dimna) overflows with insight and discernment at such great depth that it’s more like the Tao Te Ching than a script, more like a film by the Dalai Lama than an internationally beloved auteur. Read full review
100
The Film StageLeonardo GoiMay 17, 2026
Whether the healthy truly are alive, Hamaguchi doesn’t say—but it is a testament to his immensely empathetic film that, by the end, everything and everyone in All of a Sudden seems to be. Read full review
70
The Film VerdictDeborah YoungMay 16, 2026
What one remembers most from All of a Sudden is the uniqueness of the women’s relationship and their shining embrace of human rights — not just emotionally, but with their minds. Read full review
60
The GuardianPeter BradshawMay 16, 2026
It’s tender and sometimes beautifully made, but also contrived and occasionally features some too-good-to-be-true caring characters. Frankly, it’s rather precious. Read full review
90
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyMay 16, 2026
All of a Sudden is an odd but audacious film in the way it favors the thematic over the dramatic. Those not attuned to Hamaguchi’s wavelength may find it overstretched and desiccated. But if you can get on board with its leisurely pace, there’s transcendant beauty in its view that all lives are of value, no matter how diminished. Read full review
100
The PlaylistCarlos AguilarMay 16, 2026
Even as emotions may overcome the viewer, Hamaguchi never pushes All of a Sudden into saccharine terrain for empty positivity or cheap inspirational aims. It all feels earned. Read full review
85
TheWrapSteve PondMay 17, 2026
It’s a rich experience for those who can settle into its languid rhythms and reams of dialogue. Read full review
90
TimeStephanie ZacharekMay 16, 2026
To live with, and in, All of a Sudden is to match heartbeats with these two women for a few hours. There are worse ways to spend your time. Read full review
80
Time OutJo-Ann TitmarshMay 16, 2026
At heart, it is about the importance of nurturing relationships, an ode to decent people doing the best they can for others. Read full review
100
VarietyJessica KiangMay 16, 2026
The Japanese director’s gorgeous new feature, is the rarest type of film, not merely good enough to remind you what cinema can be, but great enough to remind you what life can be. Read full review
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