Dumplin'
Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): December 7, 2018 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
53
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
9
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
RogerEbert.comNell MinowDec 7, 2018
There’s a makeover montage in Dumplin’, and it’s a lulu. It is overseen by drag queens who specialize in doing Dolly Parton, and it doesn’t get any more extra than that. Like so much in this film, this makeover comes with a refreshingly smart, funny, wise, and warmhearted twist. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperDec 9, 2018
Dumplin’ sometimes takes the easy road.... But there’s so much more to enjoy, from the nuanced work by Jennifer Aniston that ensures Rosie’s never a caricature of a pageant mom; to the warm and natural best-buddy chemistry between Danielle MacDonald and Odeya Rush; to that instant classic of a soundtrack courtesy of Ms. Parton, with a little help from her friends. Read full review
75
IndieWireKate ErblandDec 8, 2018
Lessons about loving oneself, accepting one’s faults, and being the best version of yourself are cheesy, but not without purpose. Call it cinematic comfort food, but Dumplin' knows how to satisfy. Read full review
70
VarietyGuy LodgeDec 13, 2018
Indeed, from its unpatronizing body-positive messaging to its restrained, tactful faith-based concessions (a given with Parton on board), Dumplin' has been so carefully calculated, it’s a wonder it plays as warmly and sincerely as it does. Read full review
70
New York Magazine (Vulture)Bilge EbiriDec 9, 2018
On its surface, Dumplin’ is a slight, charming comedy about beauty pageants and learning to be yourself, but watch closely enough and you might see some of the new moves it brings to an otherwise predictable routine. Read full review
67
The PlaylistKimber MyersJan 3, 2019
As sweet, corny, and comforting as your grandma’s creamed corn, Dumplin’ may not be a balanced meal of a movie, but it’s an enjoyably carb-y binge. Read full review
60
VoxAlissa WilkinsonDec 9, 2018
It’s not a particularly fresh plot, and the movie’s screenplay feels a tad limp, devoid of some of the potential for comedy. But Dumplin’ still manages to be entertaining, and if it hammers on its message a little too often and a little too clumsily, it’s still a fun romp at heart. Read full review
55
TheWrapElizabeth WeitzmanDec 6, 2018
A big heart and strong cast go a long way towards elevating its prosaic approach. Read full review
50
Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonDec 9, 2018
Director Anne Fletcher (“The Proposal,” “Step Up”) aims for the tear ducts, directing for maximum anguish, righteousness and/or schmaltz, and much of the Dumplin’ message arrives with postage due. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleDec 9, 2018
The filmmaking seems caught between a genuine desire to present life as it’s actually lived and an obligation (self-imposed) to be politically correct at all times. Even so, the filmmakers, here and there, craft scenes that have the ring of truth. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleDec 7, 2018
For all the ways Dumplin’ does its best to avoid some clichés (no mean-girl antagonists) while embracing others (drag queens as coaches), it’s still a regrettably undercooked meal, even with those songs and the breezy magnetism of “Patti Cakes” star Macdonald. Read full review
50
The New York TimesManohla DargisDec 6, 2018
Kristin Hahn’s script gives Will sassy lines and too many tears, but the filmmakers never give this character a real, searching, complex inner life. They give her problems to solve, hurdles to clear. They turn emotional complexity into affirmations and a potentially transformational character into a you-go-girl cliché. Read full review
50
Slant MagazinePat BrownDec 5, 2018
As it proceeds through a series of teary reconciliations in the last half-hour of its 110-minute run time, the film's didactic drama begins to grate, its treacly emotions feeling increasingly unearned. Read full review
40
The Hollywood ReporterCaryn JamesDec 6, 2018
Director Anne Fletcher has made better rom-coms, like The Proposal, but they had better scripts. Written by producer Kristin Hahn, Dumplin’ clings timidly to its YA roots, which are firmly on the unsophisticated side of the spectrum. Read full review
40
The GuardianJake NevinsDec 6, 2018
Too often the film loudly announces its noble intentions with slogans instead of dialogue. Read full review
30
SlateInkoo KangDec 9, 2018
A movie so lifeless you’d have more fun guessing the Netflix niche group that the production is supposed to satisfy. Read full review
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