--- title: "Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool" critics_score: 62 critics_reviews: 20 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." --- # Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017): what the critics said Critics' score 62 from 20 reviews: 10 positive, 4 mixed, 6 negative. Most critics come down in favour, if not by much, and almost all of them agree on the reason: Annette Bening. The praise for her Gloria Grahame is close to unanimous, with reviewers singling out the restraint and vulnerability of the early romance scenes in particular. Jamie Bell gets warm notices alongside her, and the chemistry between the two is the thing the kinder reviews keep returning to. The British press is the warmest, finding the film tender, witty and properly moving. The reservations cluster around the writing rather than the acting. Several critics find the story thin and the sentiment laid on too thickly, and more than one complains that the shuffled timeline drains the later sections of urgency. The spread is wide, running from the twenties to ninety, with American outlets such as The New Yorker and Variety among the coolest. The one real outlier is Eye for Film, which alone finds Bening unconvincing. ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Rating 4/5. 11 December 2017. O’Sullivan finds the film sexy, polished and emotionally engaging, praising Jamie Bell’s witty, heartfelt performance and Annette Bening’s portrayal of Gloria Grahame. She faults the film for raising but then abandoning the serious allegation about Grahame’s stepson. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review-sexy-racy-and-well-polished-a3716316.html) ## Radio Times — Jeremy Aspinall Rating 4/5. Aspinall’s verdict is strongly positive, describing the romance as beautifully made and incredibly moving. He singles out its witty, affecting portrayal of the love affair between Gloria Grahame and Peter Turner. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-xdiarj/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating 4/5. 2 September 2017. Festival review. Bradshaw finds the film a warm, tender and affecting love story. He particularly praises the chemistry and relaxed performances of Annette Bening and Jamie Bell. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/sep/02/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review-jamie-bell-annette-bening-gloria-grahame) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Farber Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 September 2017. Festival review. Farber finds the film a tender, emotionally forceful romantic drama, despite a few underexplored elements. He especially praises Annette Bening and Jamie Bell, calling their performances subtle and riveting. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/film-stars-dont-die-liverpool-review-1034820/) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 4/5. 13 November 2017. The review describes the film as a tender-hearted love story. Its praise singles out the soulful blend of everyday realism and Hollywood glamour. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool) ## Empire — Olly Richards Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2017. Richards finds the film a classy, sentimental weepie that earns its melodrama. He singles out Annette Bening’s nuanced, compelling performance as its biggest strength. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/film-stars-die-liverpool-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 December 2017. Turan finds the film engaging and says it is essential viewing for Annette Bening fans. He especially praises Bening’s convincing, nuanced portrayal of Gloria Grahame. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-film-stars-liverpool-review-20171228-htmlstory.html) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 27 December 2017. The review is positive about the film’s intimate, tender portrayal of a relationship. It singles out Annette Bening’s performance for praise. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/27/movies/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review-annette-bening.html) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page is blocked by a browser check, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint can be verified from the available text. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-2017) ## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2017. Festival review. The critic’s verdict cannot be determined from the accessible page. The review’s specific praise or complaint is also unavailable because the article body is hidden. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-toronto-review/5122087.article) ## The AV Club — Katie Rife Rating C+. 21 December 2017. Rife finds the film overly sentimental and visually heavy-handed despite its strong central performance. She singles out Annette Bening’s restrained, sympathetic portrayal of Gloria Grahame as the film’s chief strength. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/annette-bening-pays-tribute-to-a-forgotten-icon-in-film-1821484324) ## Slant Magazine — Chuck Bowen Rating 2/4. 20 December 2017. Bowen finds the romance clichéd and emotionally underdeveloped, with its shuffled timeline further draining the story of urgency. He praises Annette Bening’s expressive performance, especially how her eyes and movements evoke Gloria Grahame. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool/) ## Little White Lies — Phil Concannon Rating 3/2/2. 16 November 2017. The review finds the biopic bland despite its engaging leads. It praises the chemistry between Annette Bening and Jamie Bell, but faults the later sections for feeling formulaic and emotionally weightless. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 29 December 2017. Edelstein finds the story too narrow and conceptually limited, despite its engaging cast. He especially praises Annette Bening’s lively performance and Julie Walters’s grounded portrayal of Peter’s mother. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/12/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review.html) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 5 January 2018. Brody finds the film psychologically simplistic and dramatically thin, ultimately saying it has little to say about its eras. He praises Annette Bening’s early scenes as Grahame, while faulting the film for failing to develop her presence and insights more fully. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-and-gloria-grahames-defiant-power) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 3 September 2017. Festival review. Debruge finds the film elegant but ultimately forgettable and overly manipulative. He praises Annette Bening’s nuanced, vulnerable performance, especially in the early romance scenes. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2017/film/reviews/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review-annette-bening-1202545719/) ## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. Marric finds the film genuinely moving and tender, with awards-worthy performances. She especially praises Jamie Bell’s assured portrayal of Peter and Annette Bening’s mimicry of Gloria Grahame. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review/) ## Den of Geek — Simon Brew Rating 4/5. 17 November 2017. The review finds the film warm, moving and tender, and recommends it for its two excellent central performances. It particularly praises Annette Bening’s screen presence and Paul McGuigan’s restrained direction. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/film-stars-don-t-die-in-liverpool-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 December 2017. The review finds the biopic tepid and uncurious, with its cautious storytelling failing to develop Gloria Grahame’s life. It praises Annette Bening’s vulnerable performance, alongside Jamie Bell’s work. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-review-annette-bening/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 14 November 2017. The critic finds the film disappointing and says it fails to move the heart. He singles out Annette Bening’s performance as unconvincing, despite its evident intensity. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool-2017-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © 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/film-stars-dont-die-in-liverpool.md