70
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyRogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyEverything in The Justice of Bunny King—the clothes, the car, the decor, Bunny's sharpened eyeliner pencil, the plastic cake box, the worn-out bra—hasn't been carefully placed in the frame. They were there before the camera started rolling, and they will be thereafter.
- 91The PlaylistJason BaileyThe PlaylistJason BaileyMckenzie is a good match as an actor, countering Davis’s big emotions with a quieter turn and more introverted but no less affecting. She isn’t afraid of the difficult contradictions of the character, and by the film’s end, we’re struck by how much everyday horror this young woman shoulders and sucks up.
- 75TheWrapKatie WalshTheWrapKatie WalshThavat’s harrowing, moving film doesn’t necessarily offer justice for Bunny, but instead regards the small pieces of justice that Bunny, as misguided as she may be, ekes out for herself and her loved ones within a system that is trying to keep her down.
- 75Original-CinKaren GordonOriginal-CinKaren GordonThe Justice of Bunny King, which follows the story of a woman at odds with the system, is a showcase for the superb Australian actress Essie Davis.
- 67The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakIt’s a delicate scenario that treats its characters with the respect and complexity they deserve.
- 67IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichIf the movie itself can be as clumsy and erratic as its heroine — especially during a third act that tries to split the difference between the Dardenne brothers and “Dog Day Afternoon” — Davis’ performance holds it all together with the power of centrifugal force, the actress spinning in circles of joy and rage so fast that you couldn’t get up from your seat even if you wanted to.
- 60The GuardianCath ClarkeThe GuardianCath ClarkeThe strength of the writing is in portraying Bunny’s reality, allowing us to wonder – like the social workers – whether she really is a reliable parent. This is thoughtful film-making, though I didn’t quite buy into the explosion of drama at the end.
- 50The New York TimesBen KenigsbergThe New York TimesBen KenigsbergA grim social-realist drama from New Zealand that labors to twist its narrative into a redemptive arc, The Justice of Bunny King has an unsteady tone to match its ungainly title.