60
The film boasts impeccable performances (von Sydow is splendid as Anna's father). But with a running time of three hours, this weighty drama tests the most patient soul.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
70
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
It's all very pretty, but its use of motion-picture possibilities is unimaginative. What lifts The Best Intentions above its visual limitations, and makes it seem impressive, is the extraordinary depth and sincerity of Bergman's screenplay.
80
An epic story of mismatched love shaped in the most intimate terms, the Ingmar Bergman-scripted The Best Intentions packs a sustained emotional wallop that lightens its three-hour span.
90
Washington Post by Desson Thomson
Realized beautifully by director Bille August, Intentions is a moving, profound requiem to all human relationships.
70
The New York Times by Janet Maslin
For a time, The Best Intentions captures the elements of a profoundly difficult and credible love story, one plagued by essential differences that cannot be resolved.
67
Austin Chronicle by Marc Savlov
For those looking to be stylishly entertained while learning more than anyone might ever want to know about the formation of the Bergman psyche, well, here it is.
100
Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman
The Best Intentions is the most moving film I’ve seen this year.
60
Rolling Stone by Peter Travers
August keeps a discreet distance from the harsher realities, making The Best Intentions must viewing only if you find diluted Bergman better than no Bergman at all.
88
Washington Post by Rita Kempley
Never mind that Best Intentions, which was filmed both as a six-part TV miniseries and a three-hour movie, is occasionally uneven and sometimes confusing. It remains a rare August pleasure, a film for grown-up audiences that challenges and enriches.