Critics’ reviews

Argentina 1985 (2022)

17 reviews from 17 publications. Critics’ score 76: 13 positive, 4 mixed, 0 negative.

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76
Positive
13
Mixed
4
Negative
0

Most critics find Argentina 1985 a stirring, humane courtroom drama, with praise centred on Ricardo Darín’s restrained, witty performance as prosecutor Julio Strassera. The reviews repeatedly credit the family scenes and everyday humour with making him a rounded character and giving the prosecution personal stakes. Witness testimony supplies much of the emotional force, while several critics admire the film’s ability to make familiar courtroom conventions feel compelling without sensationalising the crimes.

The disagreement concerns how well that conventional approach serves the history. Some find it well suited to the subject; others see limitations in the storytelling and pace. The Hollywood Reporter finds stretches of pacing and dialogue flat, while HeyUGuys argues that the film rushes towards its courtroom climax. There are also reservations about how much historical knowledge it assumes. The spread runs from enthusiastic to qualified rather than hostile: thirteen reviews are positive, four mixed, and none negative.

Variety
3 September 2022 · festival review · Guy Lodge
85*

Lodge finds the film a rousing, emotionally immediate courtroom drama that uses familiar genre conventions effectively. He particularly praises Ricardo Darín’s grounded, charismatic performance and the gripping final courtroom speech.

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IndieWire
3 September 2022 · B+ · Sophie Monks Kaufman
83

The review finds the film an entertaining, often amusing account that resists simplistic hero-making. It praises Ricardo Darín for bringing wit and nuance to the drama’s procedural, historical, and domestic elements.

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Los Angeles Times
28 September 2022 · Michael Ordoña
80*

The critic finds the film humane and compelling, balancing the gravity of the crimes with everyday humor. He especially praises its vivid portrayal of Strassera’s family and relationships, which grounds the story and raises the stakes.

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Radio Times
★★★★ · James Mottram
80

The critic describes the courtroom drama as a powerful account of Argentina’s war-crimes trial. They single out Ricardo Darín’s excellent performance as prosecutor Julio Strassera.

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The Guardian
3 September 2022 · Peter Bradshaw
80*

Bradshaw finds the courtroom drama emotionally heightened but handled with flair and heartfelt commitment. He singles out Ricardo Darín’s witty, careworn performance as especially compelling.

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The New Yorker
80*

The review finds the film suspenseful and ultimately rousing despite its known outcome. It praises the storytelling’s sturdy feel and the flashes of comedy that preserve lightness amid the serious drama.

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Sight and Sound
24 September 2022
75*

The critic finds the film conventional but stirring, arguing that its familiar courtroom framework suits its subject. They single out the harrowing witness testimony and Darín’s understated, eloquent closing argument for giving the story emotional weight.

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Screen Daily
3 September 2022 · festival review · Fionnuala Halligan
70*

The review presents the film as a rousing courtroom thriller with awards-season potential. It singles out Ricardo Darín’s performance as especially strong.

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The Hollywood Reporter
5 September 2022 · festival review · Sheri Linden
70*

Linden finds the drama measured but thoughtful, with Darín grounding its account of the historic trial. She praises his restrained performance and the force of Strassera’s closing statement, while noting that the pacing and some dialogue fall flat.

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The New York Times
29 September 2022
65*

The article body is blocked, so the critic’s verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be determined. The URL identifies it as a review of Argentina 1985.

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Slant Magazine
18 October 2022 · ★★½/4 · Keith Watson
62

Watson finds the film a nimble, measured courtroom drama that avoids much of the genre’s schmaltz. He especially praises how Julio’s family life provides humor and emotional grounding amid the trial’s serious subject matter.

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Deadline
3 September 2022 · festival review · Stephanie Bunbury
90*

Bunbury calls the film exceptional and brilliant cinema, praising how it weaves political struggle with a human story. She singles out Ricardo Darín’s remarkable performance and the courtroom testimony scenes for their emotional force.

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Paste
21 October 2022 · 8.7/10 · Natalia Keogan
87

Keogan praises the film as a powerful, assured procedural that recounts a landmark trial without sensationalizing its horrors. She singles out the period detail and streamlined storytelling, while noting that some political context is left unexplained.

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Eye for Film
9 January 2023 · Jennie Kermode
76*

Kermode finds the film an effective, morally challenging account of the prosecution, though it assumes some familiarity with Argentina’s history. She especially praises Ricardo Darín’s layered performance and the detailed courtroom reconstruction.

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The Wrap
3 September 2022 · festival review
75*

The critic finds the film an effective, cathartic tribute to Argentina’s struggle for justice, despite its familiar and formally conventional approach. The performances and the film’s clear preservation of historical memory stand out for praise.

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HeyUGuys
festival review
65*

The critic finds the film powerful and well-made, but says it rushes toward its courtroom climax. Ricardo Darín’s empathetic performance is singled out for making prosecutor Julio Strassera feel human and relatable.

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The Playlist
27 October 2022
64*

The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be determined. The available page provides no details about what the critic praises or criticizes.

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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