77
Metascore
14 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChildren of Heaven is very nearly a perfect movie for children, and of course that means adults will like it, too.
- 100Chicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonChicago TribuneMichael WilmingtonThough Majidi draws from familiar Iranian sources, he's made something unique and moving: a sweet tale with a stirring finish.
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittThis modestly produced family drama has all the poignancy and humor associated with today's vibrant Iranian film industry.
- 100The GuardianPeter BradshawThe GuardianPeter BradshawThis is a pellucid and gentle film, made with the simplicity and grace of a children's tale and yet its humour, emotional clarity and directness speak directly to adults and children alike - and the pre-teen principals shoulder an adult burden of performance.
- 90The A.V. ClubThe A.V. ClubMajidi masterfully balances the serious subtext with entertaining vignettes.
- 80Chicago ReaderLisa AlspectorChicago ReaderLisa AlspectorOne problem leads to another, but because the children's points of view are so powerfully rendered, the plot of this elegant and lightly magical-realist 1997 drama never seems merely coincidental.
- 78Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenAustin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenThe poverty that is at the heart of the situation is in prominent relief, yet there is a happiness about their lives that defies sheer gloss. Here is a brother and sister who truly love each other and are bonded by their complicity.
- 75San Francisco ChroniclePeter StackSan Francisco ChroniclePeter StackHaunting in its charm, Children of Heaven opens a window on both contemporary Tehran and the hopeful heart of childhood. This lovely, amusing film deserves a big audience -- especially families. It touches on the innocence of children with tremendous affection.
- 50The New York TimesJanet MaslinThe New York TimesJanet MaslinIn Children of Heaven, life is sweet despite countless hardships, and no reality beyond the economic intrudes upon a fairy tale atmosphere. Only through heavy-handed emphasis does the quest for new sneakers take on any greater meaning.
- 30Village VoiceMichael AtkinsonVillage VoiceMichael AtkinsonClumsily staged (a bike accident any 15-year-old Super-8 maven could’ve cut better), lit like a soap opera, and acted with all the bribed relish of a peanut butter commercial, Majidi’s movie is merely the simplistic bid being made by every national industry impatient for mass audience attention. Gallingly, it may succeed.