London River 2009

Stephen Holden, New York Times: Demonstrates how great acting can infuse a banal, politically correct drama with dollops of emotional truth. Read more

David Fear, Time Out: There's such a graceful sense of restraint in how this real-life tragedy is treated, one that filters any potential for ripped-from-yesterday's-headlines sensationalism through a respectful requiem of loss and grief. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: It would be nice to say that Bouchareb, who also wrote and directed "Days of Glory" and "Outside the Law," succeeds. He does not entirely. But he doesn't fail, either. Read more

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: Blethyn brings tremendous empathy to the introspective, determined Elisabeth, while the tall, gaunt and dreadlocked Ousmane fleshes out his less-dimensional role with a haunting sadness that speaks volumes. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Blethyn and Kouyate inhabit and expand the film's earnestly instructive intentions, leaving us with a deeply-felt experience rather than a naively-sketched lesson. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: "London River'' features on-target acting by its two leads, but they receive scant support from the wobbly plot. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The film is a matter of Brenda Blethyn's performance vs. Sotigui Kouyate's presence. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: The emotion feels credible, the connections seem real and, if only briefly, the title truly earns its metaphor -- the same river does run through us all. Read more

Wally Hammond, Time Out: In the film's latter stages, Blethyn's heart-on-the-sleeve acting style finally combines with the marvellous Kouyate's watchful intelligence and frail dignity to moving effect. Read more

Michelle Orange, Village Voice: Bouchareb brings a measured hand to this intimate, occasionally overdetermined sketch of the aloneness at the center of our global confluence. Read more