67
The ending, which offers a hint of relief, is unfiltered, frankly unbelievable melodrama, but something grimmer and more measured would be intolerable after everything that comes before.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
80
A tough but very rewarding watch.
70
Wall Street Journal by Joe Morgenstern
This is a modest film, and an affecting one.
60
The sincere director, Oliver Schmitz, injects too much movie into his movie; life (above all) would have been enough.
70
It's an absorbing, vividly inhabited tale nonetheless, never exploiting its horrors but rather treating them as tough local realities.
80
The New York Times by Manohla Dargis
A grave and quietly moving story about a South African girl of extraordinary character, does something that few painful dramas accomplish: It tells a tale of resilience without platitudes about the triumph of the human spirit or without false promises about an unclouded future.
80
The director and his splendid cast assure that this tale about a strong little girl fighting to keep her family alive and together has both high art and a big heart, audience appeal and gut impact.
40
Village Voice by Melissa Anderson
Life, Above All suggests that ignorance and stigmatization are a problem only in the village, not in the highest office of government.
60
The scenes between the young actresses are the film's most compelling: Both first-timers, Manamela and Makanyane are possessed of extraordinary faces and plain attitudes.
50
The Hollywood Reporter by Natasha Senjanovic
Its schematic structure oversimplifies the drama, despite an interesting, mostly debut cast. It seems better suited for the small screen.