--- title: "Darling: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/darling/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/darling" critics_score: 62 critics_reviews: 12 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." --- # Darling (1965): what the critics said Critics' score 62 from 12 reviews: 7 positive, 2 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics come down in favour of Darling, though the approval is measured rather than warm. Almost every review, including the hostile ones, singles out Julie Christie for praise, and several also credit Dirk Bogarde with the film’s most humane presence. The reviews from its sixtieth-anniversary re-release find the satire of Swinging London has kept its verve, and read Diana’s rise and hollow success as sharper about fame and its costs than the film’s reputation suggests. The original 1965 notices are approving too, treating it as a sleek study of modern mores. The spread is wide. The dissent comes almost entirely from critics writing between 2004 and 2016: Time Out calls the direction derivative and the script studied, Slant finds it drab and confused, and The AV Club argues it feigns hipness while pushing a prudish moral line. The mixed reviews find the second half slides towards soap opera and the tone inconsistent. Christie remains the one thing nobody disputes. ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★★. 29 May 2025. The review positions the film as a definitive Swinging London movie that has gained gravitas, calling it a feminist picaresque about an It girl’s rise and moral emptiness, comparable in relevance to modern works like Barbie. It praises the Oscar-winning central performance, satirical screenplay, and lively cinéma vérité style capturing 1960s London. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/darling-1965-review-before-barbie-there-was-this-feminist-picaresque-6bqtc70vr) ## Radio Times — David Parkinson Rating 4/5. The review praises the film as an astute snapshot of its era with ongoing relevance, highlighting Julie Christie's vivacious Oscar-winning performance and Dirk Bogarde's strong supporting turn. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-etdzen/darling/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 May 2025. The critic finds Schlesinger’s 1965 satire still possesses verve and ambition on its 60th-anniversary re-release, praising its witty take on swinging London and the director’s skill with innocents navigating society. Some dated elements and brittle dialogue are noted, but the overall energy and performances, especially Christie’s restrained lead, are highlighted positively. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/may/29/darling-review-julie-christies-romantic-satire-of-swinging-60s-has-a-terrific-punch) ## Evening Standard — Nina Caplan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 5 April 2012. John Schlesinger's witty exploration of jetset mores follows bubbly beauty Julie Christie as she finds the path to fame and fortune bumpier than imagined. These neglected 1960s British New Wave films are well worth a look. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/old-favourites-7434065.html) ## The New York Times — Bosley Crowther Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 4 August 1965. The critic notes the film's sharp satire of selfish, ambitious social types in swinging London while portraying the heroine's restless quest. It is presented as a sleek, robust character study of modern mores. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1965/08/04/archives/screen-darling-is-selfish-fickle-and-ambitious-softer-sentiments.html) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 December 1964. The film is described as a British 'Dolce Vita' centered on an immoral young model who drifts through affairs and social climbing. Schlesinger's direction and Julie Christie's performance are singled out for strong praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1964/film/reviews/darling-1200420877/) ## Empire — David Parkinson Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2006. The film offers an interesting portrait of the shallow nature of fame but overall fails to engage on an emotional level. It mixes satire of celebrity with attempts to show damage from that world, though the approach feels inconsistent and dated. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/darling-review/) ## The New Yorker — Brendan Gill Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 31 July 1965. The review finds the first half engaging and beautifully shot but grows wary of its charm turning into soap opera in the later sections. Julie Christie is highlighted for her intense, unselfconscious performance. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1965/08/07/good-intentions) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 12 January 2004. The critic views the 1965 film as a glib and reactionary relic that feigns hipness while advancing a prudish moral agenda, but praises Julie Christie's performance as the film's lone sympathetic character despite the contempt shown to her role. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/darling-dvd-1798199241) ## Slant Magazine — Dan Callahan Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 May 2007. The piece describes Darling as a drab, meandering, and confused movie torn between a bitchy screenplay and visually clumsy direction, criticizing its aimlessness while noting Christie's beauty and the film's focus on her. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/christie-65christie-07-julie-christie-in-darling-away-from-her/) ## Time Out — TR Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 30 September 2016. The critic views the film as emblematic of the rapid decline of the British New Wave, arguing that its studied script and derivative direction make it pretentious and out of touch with the lifestyles it depicts. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/darling) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 June 2025. The critic sees the film as a compelling character study of its ambitious but dissatisfied protagonist Diana, reinterpreting her as a modern Faust figure prey to temptation and insecurity rather than a simple moral failure. It singles out Julie Christie's Oscar-winning intensity and Dirk Bogarde's humane performance for praise, while noting the film's sharp take on 1960s social issues and consumer culture remains timely in a restoration for its 60th anniversary. [Read the review](https://eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/darling-1965-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) --- © 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/darling.md