Most critics find Peter’s Friends an enjoyable ensemble comedy, with the dialogue and performances doing much of the work. Comparisons with The Big Chill recur, but the familiar reunion setup rarely prevents the reviewers from enjoying the company. Praise centres on the cast’s interplay, Stephen Fry’s delivery and Emma Thompson’s eccentricity, while Branagh’s theatrical approach gives the gathering an energy that several reviews find infectious.
The reservations concern sentimentality, superficiality and the distance between a good joke and a convincing emotional scene. The spread runs from warm approval to mixed responses, with no outright rejection. Variety is the least persuaded, finding the humour glib and the proceedings often cloying. Time Out places the writing near sitcom level and questions Branagh’s drunk scene, though it singles out Staunton’s emotional depth; Empire, by contrast, welcomes Branagh’s self-mockery and finds the film less smug than expected.