The Good Lie Reviews
Lucía Roitbarg EscribiendoCine
Without a doubt, the story of these young people is a moving story and has great potential to achieve a quality cinematic drama but, clearly, it would be interesting to see a different version of it. [Full review in Spanish]
Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Oct 17, 2023
Shadow and Act Staff Shadow and Act
Other than some war set pieces, fish-out-of-water montages, and an uplifting message about the human spirit, there’s not much going on.
Full Review | Sep 13, 2022
Cory Woodroof Williamson Home Page
The Good Lie weaves a powerful tale of family and survival in the midst of trial. It's an impactful film thats well-worth your time.
Full Review | Feb 11, 2022
Richard Crouse Richard Crouse
A well-intentioned, feel good movie, nicely performed by Witherspoon and the Sudanese cast - Duany and Oceng are stand-outs - that is more successful at raising a smiles than awareness.
Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 2, 2021
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com
Possesses such a richness of and a faith in humanity that it's practically impossible to watch the film without tearing up a bit.
Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/4.0 | Sep 9, 2020
Allen Almachar The MacGuffin
Philippe Falardeau directs a script by Margaret Nagle, and both are aware of the correct approach with this material.
Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jul 17, 2020
Megan Basham WORLD
Within it you can see the misty outline of the great movie it could have been if only the producers had possessed the courage (or possibly the studio backing) to forgo the lure of an A-list headliner.
Full Review | Mar 17, 2018
Matthew Bond The Mail on Sunday (UK)
Deeply moving and pretty much compulsory viewing.
Full Review | Oct 30, 2017
Brigit Grant Daily Express (UK)
This deeply-moving, finely executed film is not just a must-see, but a reminder at a time when immigration is a key election issue that party politics can be as misleading as a movie poster.
Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Aug 22, 2017
John Fink The Film Stage
A credible, engaging and beautiful moral drama that is unusually smart for a Hollywood studio picture.
Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Mar 12, 2016
Emine Yildirim Today's Zaman (Turkey)
This is humble and subtle filmmaking and is a must watch.
Full Review | Mar 1, 2016
Alex Zane The Sun (UK)
[The three central brothers] performances add an authenticity to a story that's clearly put through the Hollywoodisation machine but never feels dishonest.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 11, 2015
Mark Kermode Observer (UK)
Strong performances from Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany and Emmanuel Jal ensure that the characters of Mamere, Jeremiah and Paul are never reduced to "exotic" victimhood.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 26, 2015
Donald Clarke Irish Times
A Unesco educational resource cast in the style of an unreconstructed 1970s sitcom.
Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Apr 25, 2015
Allan Hunter Daily Express (UK)
The bond between Carrie and these "lost boys" makes for a sincere, simplistic and poignant tale.
Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 24, 2015
Tim Evans Sky Cinema
Ultimately, it's a decent, well-meaning insight into the plight of the so-called Lost Boys (actually 3,600 Sudanese boys and girls) who were found...thanks to Uncle Sam.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 23, 2015
Trevor Johnston Radio Times
Reece Witherspoon's presence as an indomitable Kansas City charity worker may be its main selling point, but the heart of this fact-based drama is the long journey taken by a group of refugees from the Sudanese civil war.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 23, 2015
David Jenkins Little White Lies
This timely, light comic study of what it means to be a refugee makes for a refreshingly un-hectoring watch.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 23, 2015
Brian Viner Daily Mail (UK)
It is a warm-hearted picture, and its flaws are forgiveable.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 23, 2015
Tim Robey Daily Telegraph (UK)
The challenges of America's welfare system give this impeccably honourable film a vivid set of hurdles to surmount, and it doesn't feel overegged or excessively sentimentalised.
Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 23, 2015