The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis

Niall MacCormick's direction, while unfocused, locates a sweet center in the bonding of the two young girls, effortlessly capturing the way unexpected friendship, like first love, can completely alter the look of the world.

Variety

Brown Findlay, reportedly cast before she filmed "Downton Abbey," is a real find. Germany's Koch suggests astute fishing beyond the obvious casting pools, and Ormond clearly relishes her change-of-pace role as tough, casually profane Joa.

Empire

A startling performace from Findlay doesn't quite make up for a disappointing third act.

Time by Mary Pols

The performances are compelling (although Jones is underused) but the thin narrative is less instructive of the strange way female friendships operate than of the way stories get recycled.

Village Voice

By the time a disillusioned, grimly deflowered Beth leaves for school wearing her ex-friend's "I Put Out" T-shirt, tonal whiplash has eaten up the pleasures of this otherwise well-cast, evocatively shot small-town trifle.

Entertainment Weekly by Adam Markovitz

Trite lessons are learned. Plotlines play out in familiar arcs. A few blips of sex and drug use aim to make the movie feel more grown-up. Instead, they make it off-limits to the only age group likely to find any charm in its smug Britcom cutesiness.

NPR by Ian Buckwalter

It's a shame that the film comes across like an awkward and ingratiating teenager, given that the two performances at its core are so winning.

Time Out by David Fear

Innocence is lost - as well as 90 minutes of your precious, precious time.

Slant Magazine by Andrew Schenker

Albatross is simply a compendium of bad ideas.

New York Daily News by Elizabeth Weitzman

Albatross is the kind of movie that looks good, begins with promise, and then nosedives into deep disappointment.