--- title: "Girls Like Girls: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/girls-like-girls/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/girls-like-girls" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 9 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." --- # Girls Like Girls (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 9 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. Most critics are warm on Girls Like Girls, and the praise gathers in two places. The first is the young leads, whose chemistry is remarked on in nearly every review; The Wrap singles out Maya da Costa’s performance as Coley as the film’s breakout. The second is Kiyoko’s handling of first love, which the reviews find tender and unforced, treating the heroine’s queerness as a given rather than a problem to be solved. The mid-2000s setting and its period detail also draw approval. The reservations are about weight rather than warmth. Several reviews find the film conventional, its stakes muted and some passages undercooked; Vulture thinks it darker than expected but lets itself off with an easy happy ending. The spread is wide because of one outlier: The Guardian dismisses it as precious and predictable, with groan-inducing dialogue, though even there the leads’ chemistry is allowed to survive. The New York Times, gentler, notes that some of the source novel’s verve is lost. ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2026. The critic describes it as a warmly assured debut that refreshingly treats the heroine's queerness as given, delivering an emotionally pure tale of first love and yearning. It highlights the young leads' superb performances and the director's skill in capturing the charged rush of nascent desire. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/news/girls-like-girls-review-hayley-kiyoko-1236782690/) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 June 2026. The review calls it a sincere and warmly assured directorial debut that captures the blush of first love and friendship with unadorned charm and heart. It singles out the committed performances and nostalgic 2006 setting for praise while noting its conventional but appealing approach. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-06-19/girls-like-girls-review-hayley-kiyoko-maya-da-costa-myra-molloy) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2026. The critic praises the film's tender capture of the giddy thrills and crushing devastations of first love, highlighting the chemistry between the leads and the naturalistic portrayal of young queer romance. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/girls-like-girls-review-hayley-kiyoko-1236618763/) ## The AV Club — Natalia Keogan Rating B. 16 June 2026. The film is a sweet, naturalistic coming-of-age romance set in the Y2K era that effectively portrays queer desire as timeless and worth embracing, though its stakes feel somewhat muted. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/girls-like-girls-review) ## The New York Times — Lisa Kennedy Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 June 2026. The critic praises Kiyoko's adaptation of her song and novel into a touching queer coming-of-age romance centered on grief and first love. It highlights the lead performance's vulnerability and the film's personal provenance while noting some loss of the source material's verve. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/movies/girls-like-girls-review.html) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 26 June 2026. The review notes that the directorial debut is surprisingly dark in its portrayal of a volatile crush and emotional turmoil, though it ultimately opts for a neat happy ending that feels a bit easy. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/hayley-kiyokos-girls-like-girls-is-surprisingly-dark.html) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 18 June 2026. The critic finds the film a precious and predictable yawn-a-thon, with Kiyoko missing the mark in a meandering directorial debut full of groan-inducing dialogue and heavy-handed nostalgia. The lead performances stand out for their convincing chemistry in the romantic moments. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jun/18/girls-like-girls-movie-review) ## Collider — Molly DeCastro Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 2 July 2026. The critic praises Kiyoko's debut for its tender, authentic depiction of queer teenage love and girlhood. The warm nostalgic visuals, detailed production design, and the leads' performances of emotional growth are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/girls-like-girls-newest-coming-of-age-rom-com/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 19 June 2026. The critic calls it a promising first feature and memorable coming-of-age story that is at times beautifully realized though occasionally undercooked. They single out Maya da Costa's breakout performance as Coley and Kiyoko's impressive eye for period detail in evoking the late 2000s. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/girls-like-girls-review-hayley-kiyoko/) --- © 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/girls-like-girls.md