Look Both Ways
Kino International | Release Date: April 14, 2006 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
64
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
9
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
It is poetic and unforgiving, romantic and stark. Death is the subject we edge around. Read full review
83
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Ineffably Australian and intriguingly (rather than annoyingly) artsy, Look Both Ways introduces a handful of people gobsmacked by life-changing crises, all of them trying to make sense of responsibility, mortality, and connection. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
If Look Both Ways has a familiar form, this sort of emphasis on humanity, with which the film refreshingly pulses, is rare. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterErin Free
The best Australian film to hit local screens in more than a year. Although lacking any internationally renowned actors to win more than limited release, the film's energy and stylistic daring mark it as a true original. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A fearless movie about a fearful subject, an unusually empathetic and quite funny film that deals with death and dying in the most offbeat and casually life-affirming way. Exceptionally smart, playful and perceptive, Look Both Ways confronts things that people would rather avoid. Read full review
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Though Watt's emphasis on coincidence and fate seems strained at times, Look Both Ways is rich in dreamy summer atmosphere and deadpan wit. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
The morbid theme notwithstanding, this is by no means a downbeat film, and it ends with the rather hopeful thought that for every disaster there's also a chance for survival. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneJessica Reaves
Watt's direction is stylish, and her choices feel sure-handed. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
There's something optimistic in the filmmaker's clear-eyed, straightforward storytelling style. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
It's a tricky tonal dance that Watt, minor missteps aside, glides through with feeling. Read full review
70
VarietyRichard Kuipers
An imaginative, humorous and truthful contemplation of human reaction to the inexplicable. Read full review
70
Village VoiceMichael Atkinson
An unassuming, unadventurous, but likable dramedy about dying and grief. Read full review
67
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
The best parts of the movie are its occasional animated sequences. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
Best of all is newcomer Justine Clarke playing a dour illustrator. Clarke's fascinating features register emotions at war, but always governed by a sense of self-deprecating humor. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeJanice Page
The debut live-action feature of Australian animator Sarah Watt has several other things to recommend it as well, including a black-humored screenplay, realistic performances, eye-catching artwork, and a few creative turns on some well-worn themes. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Watt's script is a bit overstuffed, and by the end the roiling animated sequences (drawn by Emma Kelly and inked by Watt and Clare Callinan) are wearing out their welcome. But the convincing characters and hearty examination of mortality make this fresh and oddly uplifting. Read full review
60
New York Magazine (Vulture)David Edelstein
Even when it spreads itself too thin, Look Both Ways enlarges your perception of the here-and-now--and what movies can do to transcend it. Read full review
60
EmpireSimon Crook
A dreamy but tough ensemble indie that delivers its existential angst with a straight-up Aussie drawl. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
After the first hour, it's clear the movie isn't going to offer any surprising new insights into messed-up modernity. Read full review
50
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
Bogged down by the stylistic gimmickry of bustling montages and jarring animated segments, Look Both Ways aims for existential drama but succeeds only in reminding us that misery loves company. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
Works its way to an improbably cheerful ending, but getting there is a slow trip. Read full review
50
L.A. WeeklyMark Olsen
Watt seems to want to say something about the role of fate and happenstance in creating connections between people, but she never quite brings the strands of her ideas together. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleBrian Clark
This sincere but ultimately empty indie film plays like Australia’s answer to ensemble pieces like "Magnolia" and "Short Cuts." Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson
An endearingly quirky independent film from Australia, with very likable characters and an intriguing premise. Read full review
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