--- title: "Boiling Point: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/boiling-point/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/boiling-point" critics_score: 74 critics_reviews: 15 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." --- # Boiling Point (2021): what the critics said Critics' score 74 from 15 reviews: 12 positive, 2 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics are won over, and the praise clusters in two places. The first is the single continuous take, which the reviews credit with most of the film’s tension: the camera follows one frantic shift in a restaurant kitchen without a cut, and the anxiety builds because it never lets up. The second is Stephen Graham as the chef, whom nearly every review singles out, with Vinette Robinson named nearly as often. The reservations fall on the writing rather than the filming. Several critics find the subplots contrived and the second half strained, and more than one says the ending does not quite land. The spread is narrow, with most sitting between warm and enthusiastic. The one clear dissent comes from The Wrap, which calls the film an admirable misfire and argues the one-take approach undermines its strengths, while Deadline is cooler, finding the uninterrupted shot at times closer to technical showmanship than storytelling. ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 January 2022. Newland finds the film a tense, emotionally taxing gem, powered by its one-take construction. She especially praises Stephen Graham’s piercingly compelling and vulnerable performance. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/boiling-point-review-stephen-graham-is-piercingly-compelling-in-this-remarkable-one-take-thrill-1386350) ## Los Angeles Times — Gary Goldstein Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2021. Goldstein finds the film an exhilarating, expertly choreographed workplace drama that sustains its momentum through a final turn. He especially praises the single-take cinematography and Vinette Robinson’s performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-11-17/review-one-take-boiling-point-goes-behind-the-breakneck-scenes-of-a-restaurant) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 4/5. 6 January 2022. O'Sullivan finds the film tense but ultimately satisfying. She particularly praises Stephen Graham’s technically assured performance and the cast’s compelling work. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/boiling-point-film-review-stephen-graham-london-restaurant-b975173.html) ## Little White Lies — Jack King Rating 2/4/4. 5 January 2022. King finds the film gripping and impressive overall, though its ending does not quite land. He praises Vignette Robinson’s performance and the film’s breathless one-shot energy. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/boiling-point) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 4/5. 24 August 2021. The review finds the one-take drama gripping and anxiety-inducing. It praises Stephen Graham’s performance as a chef on the edge. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/boiling-point-2021) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 11 October 2021. The review finds the film an exhilarating, virtuoso achievement despite some strained writing in its second half. It especially praises the continuous-shot choreography and the authentic ensemble performances, particularly Stephen Graham and Vinette Robinson. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/boiling-point-captures-chefs-night-from-hell-filmed-one-continuous-shot) ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 19 January 2024. The review finds the film a bold, largely gripping experiment, though its third act and some subplots disappoint. It praises the immersive one-take approach and Stephen Graham’s powerhouse performance. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/boiling-point-2022/) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 27 August 2021. Festival review. Lodge finds the film gripping despite some contrived subplots and an overworked attempt to bring them together. He especially praises Stephen Graham and Vinette Robinson’s performances and the momentum of the continuous-take filmmaking. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/boiling-point-review-1235049897/) ## Screen Daily — Neil Young Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 23 August 2021. Festival review. The review presents the film as an accomplished one-shot drama. It singles out the busy restaurant setting and the film’s one-shot approach. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/boiling-point-karlovy-vary-review/5162630.article) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 August 2021. Bradshaw finds the film energetic and gripping, though some arguments feel too stagey. He especially praises Stephen Graham’s potent performance and affecting ending. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/aug/25/boiling-point-review-stephen-graham-serves-up-potent-performance-in-restaurant-drama) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The review’s verdict cannot be determined because the article is inaccessible. Its praise or complaints are likewise unavailable. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/23/movies/boiling-point-review.html) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 March 2022. Wilkinson finds the film’s single-take approach an effective source of mounting tension. She particularly praises the ensemble performances and the precise staging of the restaurant’s frantic shift. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/boiling-point-2020-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Skinny — Beatrice Copland Rating ★★★★. 16 December 2021. Copland finds the film feverish and effective at sustaining anxiety. She praises the precise camera work and its continuous-shot feel, which gives the action the excitement of live theatre. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/boiling-point-2021) ## Deadline — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2021. McCarthy finds the film tense and immersive, though its contrived crises and uninterrupted take sometimes feel more like technical showmanship than storytelling. He praises the camera’s graceful movement and Graham’s convincing portrayal of a chef nearing burnout. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2021/11/boiling-point-film-review-international-critics-line-1234877659/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 18 November 2021. The critic calls the film an admirable misfire, with its one-take approach ultimately undermining its strengths. They praise Vinette Robinson’s performance and the scene exposing disrespect and inequity in restaurant work. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/boiling-point-review-stephen-graham-philip-barantini/) --- © 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/boiling-point.md