---
title: "Notes on Blindness: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/notes-on-blindness/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/notes-on-blindness"
critics_score: 72
critics_reviews: 10
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."
---

# Notes on Blindness (2016): what the critics said

Critics' score 72 from 10 reviews: 6 positive, 3 mixed, 1 negative.

## The Guardian — Mark Kermode

Rating 5/5. 3 July 2016. 

Kermode finds the film extraordinary, educational and inspirational. He praises how its inventive sound and imagery convey John Hull’s changing experience of blindness.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jul/03/notes-on-blindness-john-hull-review-mark-kermode)

## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 November 2016. 

Walsh finds the film an achingly poignant and powerful portrait of adapting to blindness. She especially praises the Hulls’ taped voices for their honesty and searching curiosity.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-capsule-notes-on-blindness-review-20161119-story.html)

## Radio Times — Leslie Felperin

Rating 4/5. 

Felperin finds the film richly evocative and thought-provoking, an unusual blend of documentary, drama and essay. She singles out its distinctive use of actors lip-synching to real audio recordings.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-r58pzd/notes-on-blindness/)

## Time Out — Dave Calhoun

Rating 4/5. 26 June 2016. 

The review presents the documentary as moving and creatively made. It singles out the audiotapes recorded as an academic’s eyesight failed.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/notes-on-blindness)

## The Hollywood Reporter — THR Staff

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 November 2016. 

The review finds the documentary deeply sensitive and says it reveals blindness as a richer experience than many might assume. It praises the way Hull’s audio diaries and carefully staged reenactments draw viewers into his reflections.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/notes-blindness-948839/)

## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 22 January 2016. 

The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It also conceals what the review singles out for praise or complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/notes-on-blindness-review/5099214.article)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2016. 

The page is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the available text.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/16/movies/notes-on-blindness-review-john-hull.html)

## Little White Lies — David Jenkins

Rating 3/5. 28 June 2016. 

Jenkins finds the film atmospheric and gently moving, but ultimately too lightweight and lacking a strong hook. He praises Dan Skinner’s subtle performance while criticizing the film for explaining moments that would be stronger if shown.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/notes-on-blindness)

## Slant Magazine — Diego Semerene

Rating 1.5/4. 14 November 2016. 

The critic finds the film’s approach misguided, arguing that it compensates for blindness rather than embracing it. They fault its lush imagery and sentimental music for competing with Hull’s recordings and limiting the audience’s experience of sensory privation.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/notes-on-blindness/)

## The Ringer — Kate Knibbs

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 November 2016. 

Knibbs finds the documentary and its VR companion effective, recognizing Hull’s humanity rather than inviting pity. She singles out their sensory treatment of sound and rain for making his inner life feel vivid and known.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2016/11/16/movies/notes-on-blindness-into-darkness-documentary-virtual-reality-dc8959275a3c)

---
© 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/notes-on-blindness.md