--- title: "Peter's Friends: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/peters-friends/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/peters-friends" critics_score: 59 critics_reviews: 8 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." --- # Peter's Friends (1992): what the critics said Critics' score 59 from 8 reviews: 5 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics lean towards liking Peter’s Friends, though few claim much for it. The reviews agree it is a British cousin of The Big Chill, and most forgive the borrowing because the script is quick and the ensemble is good company. Praise gathers on the playing: Thompson and Staunton are named more than once, with Branagh, Fry and Rudner also singled out, and several reviewers say the film simply makes them laugh. The reservations are about weight. Time Out finds the wit pitched at sitcom level; the Los Angeles Times calls it jokey and cloying even while enjoying it. The spread is wide. Variety thinks the plot is loaded with crises a character comedy cannot carry, and The New Yorker goes furthest, arguing the barbed one-liners and posh cleverness make it closer to a horror film than a comedy. Later British reviews are warmer than the American ones from its release. ## Empire — Lloyd Bradley Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The film is a university comedy reunion that turns out better than expected, lifted by a sparky script, strong characterisation and enjoyable playing from the ensemble. It avoids smugness thanks to the writing and performances. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/peter-friends-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Peter Rainer Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 December 1992. Even with its jokey, cloying and derivative qualities as a British Big Chill, the film still makes you laugh a lot thanks to its spirited conviviality and theatrical flair, especially in scenes featuring Branagh, Rudner, Thompson and Fry. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-12-25-ca-2328-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 December 1992. The critic enjoyed the witty dialogue, funny and sad characters, and bittersweet nostalgia of this reunion comedy, finding the group more likable and amusing than the one in The Big Chill. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/peters-friends-1992) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 December 1992. The film is a cheerfully derivative but lively comedy about old friends reuniting that borrows heavily from The Big Chill yet has some life of its own, remaining lightweight and enjoyable mainly for its arch, skillful actors delivering droll remarks. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/25/movies/review-film-conflicts-and-laughs-at-english-reunion.html) ## Time Out — BC Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 4 October 2012. The critic finds the witty script pitched at sitcom level but praises a couple of performances as terrifically good. It singles out Imelda Staunton's emotional depth and Emma Thompson's eccentricity while noting some flaws like an ineffective drunk scene, ultimately calling the film an amiable enterprise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/peters-friends) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 1992. Festival review. This sometimes funny but often cloying entertainment about old friends experiencing crises over a weekend has glib humor and energy but loads the plot with complications unsuited to character comedy and cannot be taken as seriously as it wants. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1992/film/reviews/peter-s-friends-2-1200430624/) ## The New Yorker — Terrence Rafferty Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 8 February 1993. The critic views the film as a British knockoff of The Big Chill that plays more like a horror movie than a comedy-drama about reunited college friends. He singles out the characters' constant barbed one-liners and posh cleverness as the main source of discomfort. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1993/02/08/horrors) ## Den of Geek — Simon Brew Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2018. The critic finds the film an underappreciated British ensemble comedy with strong performances and well-staged humour, despite some structural bumps and a theatrical feel. They praise its willingness to tackle darker themes amid the laughs and note its commercial success as a rare British hit in 1992. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/revisiting-peters-friends/) --- © 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/peters-friends.md