NME by Greg Wetherall

Heart-wrenching, humane and humble, this is something very, very special indeed.

The New York Times by Glenn Kenny

The mostly low-key mode of Nowhere Special is the right one. Norton is spectacular, but little Lamont delivers one of those uncanny performances that doesn’t seem like acting, and makes you feel for the kid almost as much as his onscreen parent does.

Variety by Tomris Laffly

Nowhere Special is the kind of confident, understated film that doesn’t need to pound the audience with its sentiments in order to make us feel alive and human in front of it.

RogerEbert.com by Nell Minow

There are so many ways to go wrong with this story, which we are told was inspired by an unidentified real father and son. Writer/director Uberto Pasolini does not let that happen, relying on the most ordinary details to take on greater and greater weight.

Boston Globe by Odie Henderson

The film is essentially a two-hander between Norton and Lamont, both of whom give excellent, complementary performances. They feel like father and son from first frame to last.

Observer by Rex Reed

A triumph of sensitivity, humanity and good taste that manages to admirably transcend every tendency inherent to the usual label of “tearjerker.”

IndieWire by Christian Blauvelt

At the very least, Nowhere Special is one of the great father-son movies.

Empire by Ian Freer

Hugely affecting and perfectly played, Nowhere Special is a peach of a picture.

The Hollywood Reporter by David Rooney

Ultimately, what keeps Nowhere Special from being nothing special is the film’s delicacy, its unfussy simplicity, its perceptiveness. The empathy it brings to one man’s crushing decision makes this an affecting portrait of parental devotion.

The Observer (UK) by Simran Hans

The film is understated rather than mawkish.

CineVue by Christopher Machell

Nowhere Special is driven by the primal emotion of its child-parent dynamic and moving performances from both its leads, while the theme of social class resonates throughout.

The Film Stage by Jared Mobarak

Norton is wonderful in the role, lending it a vulnerability that shines through the stoic nature of a man doing his best to show no fear.

Little White Lies

It’s a competently made and compellingly acted film which will hopefully lead to us seeing a lot more of both filmmaker and lead actor.

The Guardian by Cath Clarke

It’s tender and poignant, but might be a bit cloying were it not for Norton, who underplays it beautifully with a performance of tremendous depth and empathy.