Damsel
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: June 22, 2018 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
63
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews
Positive:
20
Mixed:
10
Negative:
3
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangJun 21, 2018
There is something inspired about the idea of fusing old-school aesthetic brio and revisionist politics, but the instant you see what Damsel is up to, its power begins to dissipate. Read full review
60
VarietyOwen Gleiberman
Damsel is a comedy of attitude made with the indulgent touch of an art Western. That’s a refreshingly original thing, though it’s not as blow-you-away cool as the filmmakers seem to think it is. Read full review
60
The GuardianJonathan Romney
Damsel doesn’t go quite where we think it will, but then, surprise detours are rather to be expected in this kind of anti-quest story, and the film sometimes comes across – for all its grotesque, scabrous or surreal touches – as a little more benign than it might have been. Read full review
58
The PlaylistGregory Ellwood
The film’s inherent problems, however, are two fold. First, the third of the picture is an absolute slog. The Zellner’s may have though this was a creative choice to make the comedic scenes funnier when they finally hit, but it simply doesn’t work. Second, the funny bits simply aren’t as funny as they should be. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy BurrJun 27, 2018
Damsel, goofy, absurdist, and subversive, feels like a brave step in an uncertain direction. Read full review
50
The New YorkerRichard BrodyJun 18, 2018
The Zellner brothers, David and Nathan, wrote and directed this Western near-parody; though methodically conceived and occasionally tense, it’s slight and sluggish. Read full review
50
Film ThreatTiffany TchobanianJun 18, 2018
The Zellner Brothers wanted to create something that pokes fun at the genre and mixes things up in a creative and refreshing way. Unfortunately, the result is mildly funny and disappointingly predictable film. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterTodd McCarthy
The writer-directors are so intent on upending expectations and startling the audience that the effort shows far too much and, in the weak second half, ends up being terribly self-conscious. Read full review
40
Village VoiceSimon AbramsJun 21, 2018
Pattinson and Wasikowska deserve better material than the Zellners’ head-scratchingly lazy jokes. Read full review
40
CineVuePatrick Gamble
Accomplished as the filmmaking is, on a certain level the directors’ good intentions fall flat, resulting in an often clever but fundamentally flimsy comedy. Read full review
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