--- title: "Americana: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/americana/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/americana" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 10 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." --- # Americana (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 10 reviews: 5 positive, 3 mixed, 2 negative. 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 — Leslie Felperin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2025. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/18/americana-review-sydney-sweeney-heads-cast-in-eminently-watchable-drama) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 August 2025. 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. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/sydney-sweeneys-new-movie-is-the-anti-good-jeans-ad.html) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 11 August 2025. The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It offers no specific praise or complaint beyond the film’s premise. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/americana-review-sydney-sweeney-and-paul-walter-hauser-conspire-in-western-crime-saga/5207672.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 14 August 2025. The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be established. No praise or criticism can be reliably identified from the available page. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/movies/americana-review.html) ## The AV Club — Brianna Zigler Rating D+. 15 August 2025. 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. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/americana-review) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 14 August 2025. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/americana-review-1236489992/) ## Deadline — Valerie Complex Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2023/03/americana-review-sydney-sweeney-paul-walter-hauser-halsey-tony-tost-1235301698/) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2023. Festival review. 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. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/americana-review-a-first-rate-crime-thriller-infused-with-altman-tarantino-coen-brothers-boasting-an-ensemble-cast-at-the-top-of-their-game-20230318/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating 7/10. 15 August 2025. 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. [Read the review](https://collider.com/americana-review-sydney-sweeney-halsey-paul-walter-hauser/) ## Paste — Jesse Hassenger Rating 6.7/10. 14 August 2025. 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. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/tony-tost/americana-movie-sydney-sweeney-paul-walter-hauser-halsey-western) --- © 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/americana.md