62
Metascore
8 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Slant MagazineSlant MagazineTodd Kellstein doesn't allow you to entirely indulge convenient (though understandable and perhaps irresistible) armchair outrage.
- 80Paste MagazineScott WoldPaste MagazineScott WoldThat Buffalo Girls makes its stand as an empowering journey of perseverance and champion’s spirit, rather than a reflection on the larger societal underpinnings is not to its detriment.
- 70Village VoiceMichael AtkinsonVillage VoiceMichael AtkinsonThere's no missing Kellstein's unstated horror during the fight sequences, which traffic in queasy blood sport absurdity that overshadows "Battle Royale" and "The Hunger Games," because the cherubs are eight and because it's all too real.
- Underlining it all is the exuberance and charm of the two main subjects, who make this world seem disarmingly innocent.
- 67The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe A.V. ClubNoel MurrayBuffalo Girls' main problem is that Kellstein can't seem to settle on whether he's making an inspirational sports movie (complete with triumphant music on the soundtrack during the fights), or an exposé of child exploitation among the Thai underclass.
- 60NPRMark JenkinsNPRMark JenkinsIn a rare bit of explication, the movie notes that "buffalo" has two connotations in Thailand. For rural folks, it refers to the strength and perseverance of the large animals, called "kwai" in Thai. To urbanites, however, a buffalo is a hick.
- 50The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisA story that, though sickly fascinating, is as crudely rendered as its images.