The New York Times by Candice Frederick

Although Juanita teeters off track a bit with the chef’s half-baked back story, it soars when it allows its lead to explore the complexities of love and unbridled joy. And Woodard completely owns it.

The Hollywood Reporter by Beandrea July

Juanita wants to be so many things: road movie, rom-com, a middle-aged woman’s coming-of-age tale, a verite window into Native American life in the West, a chef’s kitchen drama. But a script that needed a couple more drafts holds the film and its talented ensemble cast back.

RogerEbert.com by Monica Castillo

It would have been interesting to see a better version of a working class “Eat Pray Love” or “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” that swaps thrilling destinations outside the U.S. for a bus ticket somewhere in the States to reconnect with who you are. Juanita feels like an approximation of this experience.