80
The performance of Fathia Youssouf is impressive as she transforms her diminutive, naïve self into a towering force.
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What are critics saying?
50
Cuties' job is to coil the contrasting messages and spin them until her lead falls down dizzy, which can make the film feel as subtle as a headache.
75
Its approach may not always work, but the film is undeniably ambitious, and implemented in an affecting way.
60
New York Magazine (Vulture) by Bilge Ebiri
Cuties is not a blunt screed or a finger-wagging cautionary tale in either direction — which is one reason why anyone watching the film looking for clear messages about right and wrong is bound to be disappointed, maybe even outraged.
90
Bolstered by an infectiously reckless joie de vivre and artfully handled hard-hitting truths, Cuties diffuses the impulse to dismiss it as just one more example of a trend.
60
The Hollywood Reporter by David Rooney
Writer-director Maïmouna Doucouré's captivating but structurally shaky first feature is stronger on setup than development or payoff, becoming less controlled as its opposing forces of tradition and rebellion collide.
50
Screen Daily by Fionnuala Halligan
A film to respect for its audacity, admire for its lead female performance perhaps, but also view as dramatically contrived.
80
Los Angeles Times by Justin Chang
Society’s rampant sexualization of preadolescent girls is one topic that Doucouré subjects to tough critical scrutiny; she’s made an empathetic and analytical movie, not an exploitative one.
67
Although Doucouré steeps Cuties in emotion and experience, she abandons its grace to make crazier gestures.
75
Maïmouna Doucouré has a remarkable grasp of the irrationality and volatility of middle-school social dynamics.