--- title: "Lady Macbeth: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/lady-macbeth/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/lady-macbeth" critics_score: 73 critics_reviews: 22 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." --- # Lady Macbeth (2016): what the critics said Critics' score 73 from 22 reviews: 16 positive, 4 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics take to Lady Macbeth, and nearly all of them take to Florence Pugh. Her performance as Katherine is named in almost every review, called poised, magnetic and chilling by turns, and it is the one thing admirers and detractors agree on. Beyond her, the praise settles on the house: the oppressive interiors, the stark, painterly compositions and the long near-silent stretches. Naomi Ackie’s Anna draws repeated notice, and several critics welcome the film as an upending of the costume drama. The reservations are about temperature and motive. The Los Angeles Times finds it too cold to involve the viewer, The AV Club thinks the second half drags, and The Independent calls the plot predictable. The two outright dissents go further: Slant Magazine finds it sexist and mean-spirited, and The Wrap faults Katherine’s abrupt transformation and an inner life that is never developed. The spread is wide, from full marks to a single star, though even the harshest notices spare Pugh. ## The i Paper — Matthew Turner Rating ★★★★★. 27 April 2017. The critic calls the film a remarkable, gripping debut that might be the best film of the year. They single out Florence Pugh’s intense performance as Katherine for particular praise. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/lady-macbeth-review-61890) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 27 April 2017. Bradshaw praises the film as a brilliantly chilling, daring subversion of period costume drama. He particularly singles out Florence Pugh’s lethally charismatic performance and the oppressive atmosphere of the house. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/apr/27/lady-macbeth-review-florence-pugh-william-oldroyd-peter-bradshaw) ## Sight and Sound — Pamela Hutchinson Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 April 2017. Hutchinson calls the film a compelling, dramatically intelligent period drama that outclasses many of its peers. She especially praises Florence Pugh’s performance as Katherine, while also singling out Naomi Ackie’s strong work as Anna. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-lady-macbeth-pares-period-film-back-its-bones) ## The AV Club — Katie Rife Rating B+. 13 July 2017. Rife finds the film riveting and audacious, though its second half drags and its violent shocks weaken its focus. She praises the performances and claustrophobic atmosphere, especially the tense dynamic between Katherine and Anna. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/captivating-and-cruel-lady-macbeth-dissects-power-and-1798191881) ## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 April 2017. O'Sullivan calls the film one of the year's most original, despite some implausibilities. She particularly praises Florence Pugh's performance and the film's striking visual style. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/lady-macbeth-film-review-gothicnoir-heroine-destined-to-become-a-cult-favourite-a3526081.html) ## Little White Lies — Elena Lazic Rating 4/5. 24 April 2017. Lazic finds the period drama complex and compelling, anchored by Florence Pugh’s strong lead performance. She praises its subtly complex characterization and masterfully composed, near-silent shots, while noting its brutally sour ending. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/lady-macbeth) ## Radio Times — Karen Krizanovich Rating 4/5. The critic calls the film fresh, cunning and unflinching, finding its portrait of Katherine’s escape compelling. They praise the stark, spartan setting for deepening the desperation behind her choices. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ra3ps6/lady-macbeth/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Dalton Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2016. Festival review. Dalton finds the adaptation a small but impressive debut, with an amoral darkness and contemporary subtext. He especially praises Florence Pugh’s subtle, assured performance and the film’s crisp, painterly visual style. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/lady-macbeth-review-926870/) ## The Independent — Geoffrey Macnab Rating ★★★★☆. 26 April 2017. Macnab finds the film an original, assured and engrossing debut, despite a predictable plot. He especially praises Florence Pugh’s outstanding performance and the film’s eerie, tense atmosphere. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/film-reviews-roundup-lady-macbeth-the-promise-heal-the-living-suntan-a7702831.html) ## Variety — Guy Lodge Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2016. Lodge finds the film a stark, morally unsettling Victorian tragedy with a distinctly modern edge. He especially praises Florence Pugh’s poised, nuanced performance as Katherine. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/lady-macbeth-review-1201853847/) ## Empire — David Parkinson Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 23 April 2017. Parkinson finds it an intelligently scripted, forceful costume noir that uses Victorian melodrama to explore oppression and morality. He particularly praises Florence Pugh’s arresting performance and the film’s restrained visual and sound design. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lady-macbeth-review/) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2017. Edelstein finds the film compelling and morally unsettling, arguing that it shows victimization turning into oppression. He praises its controlled direction and its portrayal of the oppressive household without relying on excessively long shots. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2017/07/lady-macbeth-movie-review.html) ## The New Yorker Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). The review admires the film’s careful construction but wishes it would occasionally break free. It especially praises Florence Pugh’s performance for bringing a dash of madness to the role. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/lady-macbeth) ## Screen Daily — Jonathan Romney Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2016. Festival review. The page identifies this as a review, but its verdict is not visible. The paywall also conceals what the critic singles out for praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/lady-macbeth-toronto-review/5108947.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2017. The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be confirmed. No praise or criticism from the review is available to report. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/13/movies/lady-macbeth-review.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2017. Turan finds the film expertly made and compelling, but too cold to achieve deeper emotional involvement. He especially praises Florence Pugh’s performance and the film’s precise, elegant visual compositions. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-lady-macbeth-review-20170713-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Sam C. Mac Rating 1/4. 15 March 2017. The critic finds the film sexist, psychologically shallow, and ultimately mean-spirited. Florence Pugh’s magnetic, intelligent performance is singled out as its strongest asset, though the critic says it intensifies the character’s remorselessness. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/lady-macbeth/) ## Den of Geek — Chloe Catchpole Rating 5/5. 28 April 2017. The review calls the film an original, unmissable period drama with a tense, austere atmosphere. It especially praises Florence Pugh’s electric, multifaceted performance. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/lady-macbeth-review/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 4 October 2016. Wilkinson finds the film a compelling, murky take on a familiar story. She particularly praises Florence Pugh and Naomi Ackie for creating a sharp, largely unspoken tension. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/lady-macbeth-2016-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) ## The Skinny — Josh Slater-Williams Rating ★★★★. 14 February 2017. The review finds the film tense and darkly comic, with Florence Pugh’s performance as Katherine especially hypnotising. It also praises the contrast between the freedom of the rural landscape and the oppressive interiors. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/lady-macbeth) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The headline indicates a mostly positive but qualified verdict. It singles out the film as arresting while noting that the take on its antiheroine is imperfect. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/british-period-drama-lady-macbeth-arresting-imperfect-take-antiheroine-tiff-review-20160912/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 July 2017. TheWrap finds the film unmoving and increasingly muddled, despite Florence Pugh’s striking lead performance. It particularly faults Katherine’s abrupt transformation and the film’s failure to develop her inner life or motivations. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/lady-macbeth-review-florence-pugh/) --- © 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/lady-macbeth.md