Critics’ reviews

Americana (2025)

10 reviews from 10 publications. Critics’ score 64: 5 positive, 3 mixed, 2 negative.

Back to our review of Americana

64
Positive
5
Mixed
3
Negative
2

The reviews lean towards qualified approval of Americana, with praise clustering around its ensemble and its mixture of crime thriller, western and humour. Halsey and Zahn McClarnon receive particular notice, while Sydney Sweeney’s understated performance also earns praise. The warmer assessments find sincerity and sympathy beneath the eccentricity, with Deadline especially enthusiastic about how the film both entertains within the western genre and questions its conventions.

The spread is wide, however, and the dialogue and characterisation divide critics: some find the writing lively, others strained and the supporting figures thin. Variety sees a belated Tarantino imitation despite admiring the setting and visual craft, while The AV Club finds neither the satire nor the earnest crime drama convincing. Even favourable reviews flag problems with momentum, an anticlimactic showdown or violence that muddles the film’s message; Collider also questions its handling of Native American stories.

The Guardian
18 September 2025 · Leslie Felperin
70*

Felperin finds the film eminently watchable, though its ambitions do not fully come off and its showdown is anticlimactic. She particularly praises Zahn McClarnon’s wry performance and the colorful ensemble.

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Vulture
15 August 2025 · Alison Willmore
70*

Willmore finds the film thoughtful and humorous, though its ideas sometimes slow its momentum. She especially praises Sydney Sweeney’s convincing, understated performance as a girl who fades into the background.

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Screen Daily
11 August 2025 · Tim Grierson
64*

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It offers no specific praise or complaint beyond the film’s premise.

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The New York Times
14 August 2025
64*

The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be established. No praise or criticism can be reliably identified from the available page.

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The AV Club
15 August 2025 · D+ · Brianna Zigler
43

Zigler finds the film a dull, unconvincing imitation that fails as both satire and earnest crime drama. She singles out its weak dialogue and superficial characterization, while noting Halsey outacts Sydney Sweeney.

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Variety
14 August 2025 · Peter Debruge
35*

Debruge finds the film polished and entertaining in moments, but ultimately a belated Tarantino imitation. He praises its expansive South Dakota setting and eccentric visual craft while faulting the contrived characterization and unnatural dialogue.

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Deadline
18 March 2023 · festival review · Valerie Complex
85*

The review praises the film as an intricate, entertaining western dramedy that both serves and deconstructs the genre. It singles out Halsey and Zahn McClarnon as standout performers.

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The Playlist
18 March 2023 · festival review
85*

The review presents the film as a first-rate crime thriller with a strong ensemble. It praises the cast’s performance, while the page’s blocked content prevents confirming further details.

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Collider
15 August 2025 · 7/10 · Ross Bonaime
70

Bonaime finds the film an imperfect but worthwhile modern Western, praising its empathy for characters striving to improve their lives. He singles out Halsey’s performance as the standout, while criticizing how the violence muddles the film’s message and its treatment of Native American stories.

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Paste
14 August 2025 · 6.7/10 · Jesse Hassenger
67

Hassenger finds Americana an entertaining, sincere hybrid that avoids becoming too pleased with its own cleverness. He praises the cast and its above-average dialogue, while noting that some characters feel like disposable cardboard figures.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate