Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt

Subtle filmmaking and true-as-life acting make this an acute psychological drama with an engrossing sociological subtext. It stands with Doillon's best work.

The Hollywood Reporter by Kirk Honeycutt

Doillon never lets his characters slide into cliche. They act and react from a wealth of contradictory impulses and long-standing prejudices in this masterful tale of frustrated desire.

The A.V. Club by Scott Tobias

Even without all the other complications, Doillon's handling of the language gap alone gives Raja a pungent dramatic edge.

The New York Times by Stephen Holden

What distinguishes Raja from every other movie to contemplate the treacherous intersection of passion, avarice and power is its unsettling emotional honesty. The two central performances are so spontaneous and mercurial that the reckless flirtation seems to be unfolding before your eyes.

Variety by David Stratton

Intriguing, provocative and very well acted.

TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh

What begins as a sorry exercise in cynical seduction becomes a case of amour fou.

Village Voice by J. Hoberman

It plays out as an unsettling solipsistic love story--an account of erotic obsession with a family relation to "Of Human Bondage."

New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman

There's little to enjoy in this unsettling tale, but Doillan's unblinking depiction of manipulation and desperation stays with you long after the characters make the deals that seal their unjust fates.

New York Post by Lou Lumenick

Raja, which is basically a dark comedy about how this odd couple manipulate each other, is extremely well acted, though the direction by Jacques Doillon is on the leisurely side.