Beginning
MUBI | Release Date (Streaming): January 29, 2021 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
81
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 10 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
VarietyGuy LodgeMar 21, 2021
Beginning is not a derivative work. Its slow-cinema trappings aren’t merely plucked from the films that have taught its maker along the way, but prove a rhythmically apt, intuitive way into the headspace of its protagonist, a woman who feels her very life has been put on pause. Read full review
100
Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangJan 29, 2021
There is cruelty here but also tenderness, and hellish images that are followed by glimpses of a terrestrial paradise. Read full review
100
The New York TimesDevika GirishJan 28, 2021
Rarely has a film made me so painfully, viscerally aware of the impotence of spectatorship — of the dubious remove from which we watch suffering. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comCarlos AguilarJan 29, 2021
To its mild detriment, Beginning stays on a cerebral plane even at its most ravaging and emotionally intense. But in its muted havoc lies a potent intellectual laceration. Read full review
83
IndieWireDavid EhrlichOct 1, 2020
In Beginning, the borders of the frame aren’t just the iron bars of a jail cell, they’re also the garden walls of Eden, the tempting hiss of the snake, and the angel of the lord who interrupted Abraham from killing his son. Read full review
80
The Observer (UK)Simran HansJan 30, 2021
Sukhitashvili’s subtle performance brings interiority to a character who might otherwise be defined entirely by her suffering. Read full review
80
CineVueChristopher MachellJan 29, 2021
As a purely aesthetic cinematic experience, Beginning will surely number among the best of the year. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineDavid RobbSep 22, 2020
The low-key, serene natural beauty of Beginning’s setting provides a counterpoint to the often-disturbing events of the film. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubKatie RifeJan 28, 2021
Whether this challenging film is more than the sum of its formally inventive parts will depend on a viewer’s patience, as well as their tolerance for ambiguity and discomfort. Read full review
40
The GuardianPeter BradshawJan 25, 2021
Kulumbegashvili’s style is confident, if derivative. Her technique now has to evolve away from these self-conscious influences. Read full review
More From This Movie

81 Critic Reviews

7.3 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 72 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL