Maiden
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: June 28, 2019 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
82
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 25 Critic Reviews
Positive:
23
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Chicago TribuneKatie WalshJul 11, 2019
Maiden is a grand adventure, the likes of which we don’t always see too often anymore. Read full review
100
The Associated PressLindsey BahrJun 28, 2019
Maiden is simply magnificent storytelling and a must-see for all ages and genders. Read full review
100
Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonJun 27, 2019
What we have from director Alex Holmes — a guy who knows a great cinematic story when he hears one — is a documentary with all the nervous-making energy of a first-rate drama; a cast of sailors who are both endearing and intelligent; and a delicately wrought suspense story. Read full review
91
Original-CinJim SlotekJul 12, 2019
It’s an inspiring chapter in history, beautifully conveyed on the screen. Read full review
90
TheWrapMonica CastilloJun 27, 2019
Holmes does an incredible job writing and directing this already action-packed narrative into an impressive documentary. He carefully weaves the crew’s interviews tightly together so that it seems like they’re almost talking among themselves, instead of in separate one-on-one interviews. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranJun 27, 2019
A heck of a story splendidly told, Maiden succeeds by combining the athleticism of “Free Solo” with the enriching, across-the-board emotional appeal of “RBG.” Read full review
89
Austin ChronicleMarc SavlovJul 25, 2019
This riveting documentary about powerhouse never-say-die Aussie yacht skipper Tracy Edwards is every bit as thrilling and emotionally grueling as "Mad Max: Fury Road." And it’s all true. Read full review
88
The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldJul 17, 2019
A taut, gripping documentary about one young woman’s dream ... Maiden is wonderfully suspenseful — especially if you, like me, have no idea how the race turned out. Read full review
88
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Brad WheelerJul 11, 2019
This story of personal redemption tacks drama by the nautical mile. "The ocean is always trying to kill you,” says Edwards, a woman like most who knows about facing high odds and salty conditions. Read full review
88
Washington PostAnn HornadayJul 2, 2019
That makes Maiden not just a ripping yarn but a meaningful one. Like “RBG” last year, it’s a story that reminds women — and men — not only how far we’ve come in one generation but how far we’ve yet to go. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comOdie HendersonJun 28, 2019
Maiden excels as a suspenseful sports tale and a record of a historic first, but its biggest strength is in its warts-and-all character study of the Maiden crew. One can’t help but feel seen, moved and empowered once the credits roll. Read full review
83
The PlaylistJonathan ChristianJun 24, 2019
Maiden simultaneously functions as a timeless ode to passion and a reflective account of a fascinating highpoint in the history of women’s involvement in the sports industry. Read full review
80
Rolling StonePeter TraversJun 27, 2019
Some of the footage, shot by crew members, radiates hold-your-breath suspense, especially when the Maiden pushes through the ice floes of the Southern Ocean, near Antarctica. You’ll have your heart in your mouth as the yacht enters the final stretch. Read full review
80
The New York TimesManohla DargisJun 26, 2019
A sleek, exhilarating documentary. Read full review
80
VarietyDennis HarveyJun 24, 2019
Shattering a glass ceiling has rarely been more engrossing — or grueling — than it is in Maiden. Read full review
80
Time OutPhil de SemlyenJun 24, 2019
As an object lesson in leadership, Maiden is compelling, but its flashbacks to a less enlightened time in sport are the biggest showstoppers – and jaw-droppers. Read full review
80
EmpireDavid ParkinsonMar 7, 2019
Instructive, insightful and inspiring, Maiden is a rousingly riveting record of a remarkable accomplishment that says as much about British bloody-mindedness as it does about feminist fortitude and underdog pluck. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterCaryn JamesJan 27, 2019
Mixing archival material and fresh interviews with Edwards and her crewmembers, Holmes creates an engaging, suspenseful story with layers of social resonance. Maiden is gripping and effective even if — maybe especially if — you have absolutely no interest in sailing. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleJul 5, 2019
Ultimately Maiden is very much a feel-good movie, a tale of underdogs finding their strength, combined with a character study and a sprinkling of social history. After the Maiden, women in sailing had to be taken seriously. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTom RussoJul 5, 2019
Unless you’re familiar with the various particulars, you’ll likely find yourself experiencing the film in aptly wavelike fashion, cresting with optimism about the crew’s prospects before plunging into apprehension, again and again. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubAllison ShoemakerJun 26, 2019
Director Alex Holmes and editor Katie Bryer cannily draw out the story beneath the story, allowing it to bob along in the wake of Edwards’ tale. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreJun 25, 2019
Edwards comes off as salty but sentimental, remembering the support she got from the crew and that the crew got from the world’s ports as they dashed from stop to stop — Uruguay, Australia, Auckland and Fort Lauderdale among them. Read full review
75
IndieWireKate ErblandJun 24, 2019
While Maiden is satisfying on its own, it’s tailor-made for a remake that can dive deeper into a story that has so much life left in it. Read full review
60
The GuardianPeter BradshawMar 6, 2019
At all events, it pays due homage to Edwards as a courageous pioneer. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineWes GreeneJun 24, 2019
Director Alex Holmes ultimately takes a frustratingly simplistic approach to his thematically rich material. Read full review
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