Brief Encounter

Chicago Reader by

Survives more as a social document than a genuinely compelling drama.

CineVue by Allie Gemmill

We rarely see films that are so loaded in meaning and symbolism yet subdued in action. It’s a treat to be sure, one that can be relished seventy years on with renewed fervour.

The New York Times by Bosley Crowther

An uncommonly good little picture.

LarsenOnFilm by Josh Larsen

Shockingly modern in sensibility, construction, and execution, Brief Encounter is very different from what one thinks of as a David Lean movie, whose historical epics have come to define posh, mid-century, cinematic excellence.

The A.V. Club by Keith Phipps

Encounter remains the definition of timeless, a beautifully shot, heartbreakingly acted, minutely detailed illustration of thoroughly recognizable human frailty.

The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw

The film is thrillingly, unapologetically about decency and honour, about, as Laura heartrendingly puts it, controlling oneself.

Time Out by Tom Huddleston

David Lean's wondrous romance, adapted from Noel Coward's story, is one of the most emotionally devastating movies of all time.