Jumbo
Dark Star Pictures | Release Date: February 19, 2021 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
60
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 18 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
8
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
89
Austin ChronicleRichard WhittakerFeb 11, 2021
First time writer-director Zoé Wittock takes an absurd idea and imbues it with such heart, soul, and beauty that you'll automatically look past the inherent ridiculousness. Instead, you'll simply absorb its glowing sense of wonder. Read full review
85
Paste MagazineAdesola ThomasMar 15, 2021
Merlant’s writhing, fainting spells and intense gaze do well to communicate the intensity of desire and, although the film can sometimes be a dizzying attraction to climb on, Jumbo is certainly worth the ride. Read full review
80
The Irish TimesDonald ClarkeJul 9, 2021
It’s not exactly a world you would want to live in but Jumbo, nonetheless, is awash with a sympathetic visual aesthetic that gives us some sense of where the odd passion springs from. It needs a strong actor to compete with that madness, and Merlant does not disappoint. Read full review
80
EmpireIan FreerJul 7, 2021
It’s a short-film premise at a feature-film length, but few films take as many chances or go for broke as much as Jumbo. Wittock is an exciting new talent to watch, and Merlant spins something potentially laughable into a rollercoaster — or at least, waltzer — ride of emotions. Read full review
80
We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoMay 28, 2020
Yes, the movie where a girl falls in love with a Tilt-A-Whirl says more about self-assurance, romantic wilds, and personal comforts than most human-on-human counterparts. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesMichael OrdoñaFeb 17, 2021
It will surprise none of Merlant’s fans that she gives herself over to the role. Whatever you think of Jeanne’s attachment, Merlant lets you in on Jeanne’s feelings. You believe this really matters to her. Read full review
67
The A.V. ClubKatie RifeFeb 18, 2021
This is a slight film, one that peaks early and spends the rest of its runtime shuffling its narrative cards, re-combining the same elements in different ways. But Jumbo still stands out, thanks to a concept and aesthetic much stronger than its story. Read full review
67
IndieWireDavid EhrlichJan 26, 2020
Splitting the difference between “Terms of Endearment” and David Cronenberg’s “Crash” in a way that’s often sweet and surreal (but never sinister), Wittock essentially takes an ultra-familiar premise and coats it with the candied shell of something you’ve never seen before. It’s enchanting stuff, at least until that colorful layer of hard sugar melts away and you’re left to chew on the beige core inside. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comCarlos AguilarFeb 19, 2021
Though curiously charming, Jumbo behaves like love at first sight that doesn’t think about the consequences of the ardent now or the larger, long-term picture. Read full review
60
The GuardianPhuong LeJul 7, 2021
The kooky premise of Jumbo – a young woman falling madly in love with a fairground ride – might invite bafflement but Zoé Wittock’s idiosyncratic comedy-drama is an entertaining blend of sensory overload and sincere empathy. Read full review
60
Screen DailyFionnuala HalliganJan 26, 2020
Wittock has neatly sketched out her subject and a groovy neon palette for scenes involving Jumbo “himself”, but the story and general characterisation remains broad and thinly developed. Read full review
50
SlashfilmChris EvangelistaJan 26, 2020
Jumbo is a ride that might be worth taking once, but don’t be surprised if you walk away from it feeling more than a little disappointed. Read full review
50
TheWrapRobert AbeleJan 26, 2020
Wittock’s film is ultimately more of a well-intended melodramatic experiment than a fully realized love story about one of the more curious corners of humanity’s sexual-psychological tapestry. Read full review
50
VarietyAmy NicholsonJan 26, 2020
Eventually, Jumbo clatters to a stop with a tinny cheer for acceptance, a sugar rush of Belgian new wave music, and the sense that the audience has been taken for a bit of a ride. Read full review
50
The PlaylistAndrew BundyJan 26, 2020
As an embodiment of existential anxiety, it’s often effective, but other than stunning composition work and a few blips of vibrant harmony, it’s largely empty as a romance. Read full review
40
The Observer (UK)Simran HansJul 11, 2021
Merlant’s performance is committed, and the film takes her romantic and sexual fixation with the ride seriously, immersing the viewer in her dazzling, neon-lit world. Read full review
40
CineVueMatthew AndersonMar 2, 2021
There are just too many jumps to make and spaces to fill to fully believe this fantastical obsession. Read full review
30
Film ThreatNoah SchwartzApr 6, 2021
While I can understand and accept poor writing, it is deeply offensive to me that Wittock brushed under the rug the extensive abuse that Jeanne faces from Margarette and Marc. It normalizes non-consensual sexual behavior and parental abuse, both prevalent and very traumatic experiences. Therefore, despite all the good present in Jumbo, it would be immoral of me to recommend it. Read full review
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