70
Village Voice by Alan Scherstuhl
Gomis’s handheld cameras work to keep up with the actors, who seem to move with rare freedom, but he also stages some exquisite and complex flourishes.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
50
Slant Magazine by Clayton Dillard
Alain Gomis never reconciles throughout how the film's disparate parts are meant to fit together.
83
This is a formally complex work, too long perhaps and occasionally opaque in its meaning, but a daring ride to those wanting to glimpse the best of African cinema.
90
The New York Times by Glenn Kenny
Mr. Gomis’s cinematic style is spectacularly multifaceted.
80
Gomis’ latest is far from the miserablist issue drama that synopsis portends, instead weaving a sensual, sometimes hopeful, sometimes disturbing urban tapestry with threads of image, sound, poetry, and song.
70
The Hollywood Reporter by Jordan Mintzer
It’s intense if somewhat choppy filmmaking, although the passion of the amateur cast and vividness of the Kinshasa locations help make up for the narrative shortcomings.
60
Screen International by Lee Marshall
Undemonstrative but at the same time oddly compelling - rather like its eponymous main character - Felicité is a challenging, perhaps overlong, but also quietly resonant slice of new African cinema.
83
The A.V. Club by Mike D'Angelo
The film’s tonal range is formidable enough to suggest that this director may be a major talent who’s now emerging from relative obscurity, thanks to the Berlin prize and subsequent attention at festivals in Toronto and New York. It’s always exciting to discover someone who’s eager to toss the manuals aside.
60
Félicité is an emotionally effective heart-tugger, thanks largely to Véro Tshanda Beya's dignified lead performance.
80
The New Yorker by Richard Brody
The movie is a virtual documentary of city sights and moods, and also a bitter exposé of a country without a social safety net.