Most critics take to Femme, and they agree on why: the performances. Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay are praised in nearly every review, usually for the shifting balance of power between them, and the film is widely described as a tense, sexually charged neo-noir that turns a revenge plot into a study of how men perform masculinity. The reviews cluster tightly around four stars, so the spread is narrow. The reservations gather at the ending. Several critics find the final stretch forced or unclear, and The Skinny and Deadline both say the conclusion undercuts what comes before. The New York Times questions the decision to humanise the attacker at such length. The sharpest dissent comes from the festival run: The Hollywood Reporter calls the pace sluggish and the tone an old kind of queer misery, while The Playlist finds the whole thing heavy-handed. Even the doubters, though, single out the two leads.
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Screen Daily
19 February 2023 · festival review
85*
The critic describes Femme as a tremendously effective, subversive and sexually charged revenge movie that reframes neo-noir by harnessing a hate crime. The impressive feature debut and the intense power-play between the leads are singled out.
The film is a well-worked-through psychodrama of sexual danger and revenge with tense developments and reversals that keeps viewers on edge. It features outstanding performances from Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay with delicacy, subtlety and depth.
The critic highlights the film's potent erotic thriller elements, where desire and domination blur identities and power dynamics. Strong lead performances and ambiguous writing make the revenge story volatile and compelling.
The critic praises the bruising queer revenge thriller for its complex exploration of trauma, vengeance, and unexpected tenderness between attacker and victim. The film ends with an unsettling lack of clarity that leaves a powerful impact.
The critic praises the film's tense, exhilarating exploration of sexual manipulation and shifting masculinity through a dual character study. Strong performances by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay make it a vividly compelling ride despite familiar revenge tropes.
The critic highlights the film's deliciously queer take on revenge, delivered sizzlingly hot as a nerve-tingling erotic thriller. It is deeper and more satisfying than expected, with excellent turns by the leads and a beautiful, liberating climax.
The review calls Femme a rewardingly complex character-focused revenge thriller that boldly tackles homophobic violence through its central relationship. The strong performances, especially Stewart-Jarrett's, and the script's interest in self-reclamation are singled out for praise.
The film is a deliciously vicious London-set revenge thriller anchored in the centrality of performance in everyday life, particularly gender and queerness. Strong lead performances navigate mercurial motivations in a gorgeously mounted meditation that ends cruelly but leaves viewers bruised yet stronger.
The review calls the film a frighteningly dark and accomplished erotic thriller with strong direction, cinematography and fantastic lead performances. The building tension and uncertainty about the characters' knowledge of each other are highlighted.
The critic describes the film as an unpredictable, genre-shifting erotic thriller about a drag performer seeking revenge after a homophobic attack. Strong lead performances and a playful take on film noir tropes and power dynamics between the two men are highlighted.
The critic finds the film an electric, incendiary London-set noir thriller with a dangerously twisted take on code-switching and toxic masculinity. The strong performances by the leads and the way it humanises both characters amid unfolding tragedy are praised.
The white-knuckle erotic thriller scrambles a conventional revenge plot as the victim develops a dubious affection for his foe while exploring gender performance and dominance-submission dynamics. It humanizes the abuser in a questionable focus but reaches a slippery, meaningful realization that vengeance can pale against seeing an enemy as small and pathetic.
20 February 2023 · festival review · Diego Semerene
The critic finds the film a nervy exploration of the sartorial as a narrative device and the slipperiness of queer and trans subjectivity. It effectively blurs lines between gay and trans experiences while showing desire's pull toward risk and brutality.
The critic finds the film admirable in intention but short in execution, with a sluggish pace and ineffectual payoff. The lead performances are strong, but the tone veers into outdated queer miserablism and the storytelling lacks psychological texture.
Sexual politics and genre smarts collide in this gripping London-set drama about a closeted gay thug and the drag artist he attacks, with the leads delivering career-high and deft performances in an audacious debut.
The critic highlights the sensational performances by Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay as the chief selling point of this tense revenge drama, which offers a nuanced examination of masculine identities and disguises. Some wild plotting moves in the home stretch are noted as forgivable first-feature glitches.
The critic praises the gripping revenge tale that explores complex issues of gender, sexuality, and toxic masculinity through strong performances, though it's not an easy watch due to heavy themes.
The tension is masterfully handled in a revenge thriller narrative that also poses difficult ethical questions. It is distinguished by its complex, ambiguous characters and intelligent handling of genuine feelings amid danger.
Femme is an exceptionally tense, morally grey neo-noir thriller that explores the performative nature of masculinity. It stands out for its neon-infused atmosphere and strong lead performances.
The film offers complex character portraits of a gay man seeking answers or revenge through a relationship with a closeted thug, exploring legacies of homophobia. While the conclusion feels forced, its uncompromising script and strong performances mark it as an astonishing feature debut.
19 February 2023 · festival review · Valerie Complex
55*
The critic notes the film's exploration of vengeance and its psychological toll, praising the visuals, direction, and lead performances (especially MacKay's risk-taking and Stewart-Jarrett's charm), but complains that the story relies on old tropes, leaves characters underdeveloped (especially Jules), and ends with confusing questions about the protagonist's actions and self-preservation.
23 February 2023 · festival review · Rafa Sales Ross
40*
Femme is an erotic noir thriller that feels painfully on-the-nose in its execution. It is notable for its intense performances by George MacKay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett in a story of revenge and self-loathing.
Femme is a consistently tense and morally complex thriller that puts LGBTQ+ characters at the heart of a noirish plot. It is elevated by outstanding performances from Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and George MacKay.
The review highlights the nuanced revenge thriller focusing on the fallout of homophobic violence and Jules' moral dilemma, with strong performances, noting that the revenge leads to self-destruction.
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
