85
Metascore
31 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittSuperb acting and authentic details energize this rare Iran/Iraq coproduction.
- 90The New YorkerAnthony LaneThe New YorkerAnthony LaneTurtles Can Fly has little space for mawkishness, and the kids are far too cussed to be cute. It is, in every sense, the more immediate achievement: it hits and hurts the eyes (the rainy days are lousy enough, but the skies of royal blue, above such grief, feel especially insulting), and it also seems to bleed straight out of the headlines.
- 90VarietyRobert KoehlerVarietyRobert KoehlerGhobadi in this pic displays a complete command of his art as he shifts between -- and even blends -- wrenching tragedy and amusing comedy.
- 90L.A. WeeklyDavid ChuteL.A. WeeklyDavid ChuteGhobadi's genius seems supercharged rather than weighed down by his higher calling, and his imagery is so boilingly alive that we come away from it feeling exhilarated rather than depressed.
- 90The New York TimesA.O. ScottThe New York TimesA.O. ScottIt is a heartbreaking film, and cruelty sometimes seems to be not only its subject but its method. Like the child on a high cliff that is one of its recurring images, the film walks up to the edge of hopelessness and pauses there, waiting to see what happens next.
- 80Chicago ReaderChicago ReaderThere's no denying his (Ghobadi's) talent for suspense or his ability to get riveting performances from nonprofessionals.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood ReporterHeart-wrenching as well as spirit-raising.
- 80Village VoiceJessica WinterVillage VoiceJessica WinterAmid the muddy scrubbery of the camp and its hinterland surroundings, Ghobadi catches some striking compositions.
- 80The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsThe A.V. ClubKeith PhippsTurtles Can Fly creates a haunting reminder that collateral damage can't always be measured in casualty rates, and that it goes on long after the news cameras have left the scene.
- 80Los Angeles TimesCarina ChocanoLos Angeles TimesCarina ChocanoGhobadi uses the lack of resources and the surfeit of drama that had been the lot of the Kurds throughout Hussein's dictatorship and both Gulf wars much in the way De Sica and Rossellini used the European tragedies of the '30s and '40s,