---
title: "Always: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/always/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/always"
critics_score: 58
critics_reviews: 7
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Always (1989): what the critics said

Critics' score 58 from 7 reviews: 2 positive, 4 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics land somewhere in the middle on Spielberg’s romantic fantasy, and the warmer notices call it entertaining despite its silliness, singling out the aerial action, which Variety finds thrilling. Empire treats it as a poignant, transitional work about loss, playful in its visuals if not one Spielberg will be remembered for. The performances draw the steadiest praise: Richard Dreyfuss for warmth and a palpable sense of loss, John Goodman for the film’s liveliest turn, with Audrey Hepburn in close competition.

The reservations cluster around sentiment and length. Radio Times thinks the film only just avoids tipping into mush; the Los Angeles Times thinks it tips straight in, dismissing it as overlong, tooth-rotting nonsense built on stale imitation, the lone outright pan. Holly Hunter’s character strikes at least one critic as gawky and ditzy early on. Three of the seven reviews cannot be read in full, so the spread may be wider than the numbers suggest.

## Empire — Bob McCabe

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

McCabe considers the film a poignant, transitional work, though not one Spielberg will be remembered for. He praises its visual playfulness and emotional treatment of loss.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-always-review/)

## Variety — Variety Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1988. 

The review finds the fantasy entertaining despite its silliness and calls Spielberg’s adaptation largely successful. It praises the thrilling aerial action, while noting that Holly Hunter’s character initially comes across as gawky and ditzy.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1988/film/reviews/always-3-1200428073/)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 66/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 1989. 

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also provides no details about what the critic praised or criticized.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/22/movies/review-film-always-love-and-death-in-a-wilderness.html)

## RogerEbert.com

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be established. The URL identifies a review of the 1989 film, but provides no review text.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/always-1989)

## Time Out — CM

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page identifies this as a review, but the critic’s verdict is not readable. No specific praise or complaint can be confirmed from the available text.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/always)

## Radio Times — Joanna Berry

Rating 3/5. 

Berry finds the romantic fantasy just manages to avoid becoming overly sentimental. She praises John Goodman’s performance, with Audrey Hepburn also giving him strong competition.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-rbi502/always/)

## Los Angeles Times — SHEILA BENSON

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 1989. 

Benson pans the film as overlong, tooth-rotting nonsense built on stale imitation. She praises Richard Dreyfuss for bringing warmth and a palpable sense of loss to the material.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-12-22-ca-576-story.html)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/always.md