Cotton Mary
Artistic License | Release Date: February 11, 2000 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
52
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
8
Negative:
2
Watch Now
Buy on

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Not only is it Merchant's best directorial effort to date but also is among the finest films the Merchant Ivory company has ever made. Read full review
88
USA TodayStaff [Not Credited]
Increasingly piquant tale of culture clash in 1954 post-independence India.
80
Mr. ShowbizF. X. Feeney
Impeccably produced.
75
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Stack
Acted with almost maniacal force by Jaffrey, Mary is at once fascinating and despicable. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Merchant brings keen insight and rich humanity to this culturally revealing tale of psychological unease in a tense postcolonial world. Read full review
70
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Serves as a fascinating exploration of racial and social prejudice; and an indictment of cultural miscegenation. Read full review
63
San Francisco ExaminerWesley Morris
Really just a lurid potboiler. Read full review
63
New York PostLou Lumenick
Uncommonly well-acted and beautifully shot on location in southern India, but it's not exactly riveting.
60
Dallas ObserverAndy Klein
It's unlikely that anyone will walk away unmoved. Read full review
60
Village VoiceLeslie Camhi
Brought to life by the weirdness of its subject matter and the risks Madhur Jaffrey takes in her brilliant performance. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
An unsubtle allegory about a way of life withering on the vine. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderLisa Alspector
Doesn't quite support the weight of its allegory. Read full review
50
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Wants to make larger points, but succeeds only in being a story of derangement. Read full review
42
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Most of its characters come off as being one-dimensional and stereotypical, and the film's sensibility leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyJohn Patterson
Richer and cleverer than any Merchant Ivory movie in memory. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleRussell Smith
Nothing but tarted-up melodrama. Read full review
30
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Forlorn melodrama, which is low on drama and high on mellow. Read full review
20
TV Guide MagazineSteve Simels
A creepily unpleasant study of race and class. Read full review
More From This Movie

52 Critic Reviews

tbd 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