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
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
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