--- title: "Polite Society: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/polite-society/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/polite-society" critics_score: 80 critics_reviews: 13 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." --- # Polite Society (2023): what the critics said Critics' score 80 from 13 reviews: 12 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews for Polite Society are almost uniformly warm and the spread is narrow: nearly every critic is positive, one is mixed, none is negative. The praise gathers around Nida Manzoor’s debut direction, the fight choreography and the chemistry between the two sisters, with Priya Kansara’s physical performance singled out again and again; several also pick out Nimra Bucha’s villain. Most critics describe the film as a genre mash-up, citing Scott Pilgrim, Edgar Wright and Jane Austen, and most enjoy the borrowing. The reservations cluster in the second half. Several find the late swerve into social thriller uneven, and a few say the finale loses momentum. The dissent is mild rather than sharp: Time Out thinks it bites off more than it can chew, The Times finds the hyperactive style a little grating, and Vulture calls it fun but unsatisfying, lacking full commitment to its genre swings. Nobody disputes the energy; the disagreement is over whether there is enough underneath it. ## Empire — Ella Kemp Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 April 2023. Manzoor's debut is a delightful mash-up of British comedy and genre-bending action that celebrates sisterhood and ambition. It excels through the leads' chemistry and inventive stunt work, though the second-half thriller turn is slightly uneven. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/polite-society/) ## RogerEbert.com — Monica Castillo Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 28 April 2023. Nida Manzoor’s riotously funny and action-packed film is a bold feature debut that defies categorization, at its core about the power of supportive sisters while critiquing cultural, generational, and gendered expectations amid high kicks and punches. It is an action comedy in the style of Edgar Wright mixed with cross-cultural commentary, sibling dynamics, and Jane Austen-style defiance, but most importantly a damn good time at the movies. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/polite-society-movie-review-2023) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Rating Critics Pick. 21 January 2023. Festival review. Sixteen-year-old Ria doesn't want her older sister to get married, and she'll go to extreme lengths to keep the ceremony from happening in Nida Manzoor’s 'Scott Pilgrim'-esque Sundance sensation. Writer-director Nida Manzoor’s rowdy feature debut channels everything from Sergio Leone to “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” in its wild and frequently outrageous route to sparing Lena the indignity of an (almost) arranged marriage. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/polite-society-review-1235497575/) ## Little White Lies — Fatima Sheriff Rating 4/4/4. 25 April 2023. The critic calls the film a completely delightful debut with in-your-face comedy about crane-kicking traditional mores, highlighting South Asian Scott Pilgrim energy that is heaps of fun. Martial arts combatting marital annihilation makes for a winning combination. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/polite-society) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 April 2023. It’s a sisterhood of the traveling fists and feet in Nida Manzoor’s rowdy and uplifting action-comedy, a movie with a lot of fight in it literally and figuratively in advocating for centering more young women in a genre typically dominated by men. British writer-director Manzoor slams together a tangy spice mix of girl power, family drama and freaky evil into one colorfully funny good time, with music cues adding raucous punch to a badass party. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-04-27/review-polite-society-nida-manzoor-priya-kansara-action-comedy) ## Radio Times — Amber Wilkinson Rating 4/5. The critic finds it an effervescent and unpredictable blend of kick-ass action and comic capers from the We Are Lady Parts creator, with slick martial arts set pieces and jokes that land squarely. The unreliable first-person perspective from the sparky heroine keeps viewers guessing. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-k9yxp2/polite-society/) ## Total Film — Kate Stables Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 25 April 2023. A wildly charming action comedy with high-energy capers and sibling bonds at its heart, boosted by inventive genre-mashing and strong performances. It stumbles only with an over-ambitious late social-thriller swerve. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/polite-society-review/) ## Time Out Rating 3/5. The critic describes a lively debut that is west London's answer to Everything Everywhere All at Once, with bundles of fun and energetic filmmaking, though it bites off more than it can chew with too many styles. Manzoor is announced as an exciting filmmaker to watch. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/polite-society-2023) ## Screen Daily 21 January 2023. Festival review. The critic calls it a riotous action-comedy and amusing genre mashup that radiates fizzy delight and celebrates sisterhood and individuality in a breezy good time. It is relentlessly carefree and sometimes feels insubstantial, but has such sunniness that it is hard to begrudge. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/polite-society-sundance-review/5177996.article) ## Sight and Sound 27 April 2023. The critic praises Nida Manzoor's panache in choreographing action sequences and the film's anarchic sense of fun in a genre-jumping debut that challenges expectations about British Asian women. Some elements feel worn or diluted compared to other recent action films. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/polite-society-genre-jumping-debut-with-anarchic-sense-fun) ## Slant Magazine — Ross McIndoe 12 March 2023. The critic calls it an exuberant action-comedy that understands sibling bonds and delivers confident punches and punchlines, anchored by charismatic leads and smart genre blending. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/polite-society-review-nida-manzoor/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 26 April 2023. The critic praises Nida Manzoor’s debut feature as a fun, energetic action comedy and pointed satire of the marriage market that delivers laughs through inventive fight scenes. It singles out the lead performance and stunt work by Priya Kansara for particular praise, comparing her to a young Jackie Chan. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/apr/26/polite-society-review-fun-action-comedy-mashes-jane-austen-and-the-chuckle-brothers) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck 23 January 2023. Festival review. The critic finds the film raucous and audacious, praising its energetic debut from Nida Manzoor and the standout physical performance of lead Priya Kansara. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/polite-society-review-1235307131/) ## The New York Times — Amy Nicholson Rating Critic’s Pick. 27 April 2023. This exuberant genre mash-up borrows from everything—westerns, musicals, heist capers, horror, Jane Austen and James Bond—to tell the story of two sisters in an enclave of well-to-do Muslim Londoners. It is a delight that builds writer-director Nida Manzoor into a promising new filmmaker impatient to evolve cultural representation into crowd-pleasing candy. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/27/movies/polite-society-review.html) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★☆☆. 28 April 2023. The review finds the film entertaining but a little grating due to its hyperactive style and overstimulated energy. It praises the easygoing chemistry between the two lead sisters while noting the film’s self-referential, movie-mashing approach. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/polite-society-review-entertaining-and-a-tiny-bit-grating-fhjs596l2) ## Vulture 28 April 2023. The critic sees the film as a fun but ultimately unsatisfying mix of family dramedy and martial-arts action, praising the lead performance but noting it lacks full commitment to its genre swings. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/polite-society-pulls-its-punches.html) ## Eye for Film — Andrew Robertson Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 April 2023. The critic praises the film's unbridled talent and verve, calling it a treasure with gleeful invention and specific yet widely enjoyable storytelling. They single out the confident direction and performances, especially the chemistry and inventive action sequences. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/polite-society-2023-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) ## /Film — Ben Pearson Rating 8.5/10. 23 January 2023. Festival review. The critic highlights the film's playful energy, humor, and charming tale of sisterly love, noting the heightened action in service of comedy and strong performances. They single out the fun, personality-driven narrative. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1175308/polite-society-review-an-aspiring-stuntwoman-tries-to-sabotage-her-sisters-wedding-in-this-crowd-pleasing-comedy-sundance/) ## Collider — Chase Hutchinson Rating B+. 21 January 2023. Festival review. The critic praises the film's heartfelt and humorous action-comedy blend, highlighting the strong sisterly bond and energetic fight sequences. They single out Priya Kansara's star-making performance for praise, while noting some loss of momentum in the conclusion. [Read the review](https://collider.com/polite-society-review/) ## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn Rating ★★★★. 24 April 2023. The critic praises the film's energetic blend of action and comedy, centered on sisterly bonds and visual invention, but notes it struggles to maintain energy in the finale. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/polite-society-review) ## Deadline — Valerie Complex Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 28 April 2023. Festival review. The film is a fun story exploring cultural norms and the balance between tradition and modernism in Pakistani families, critiquing them without condemnation. It features inventive storytelling, a strong cast especially the villain, and is worth seeing for laughs despite some narrative issues. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2023/04/polite-society-sundance-film-festival-review-a-cultural-action-adventure-1235225389/) ## Paste — Jacob Oller Rating 7.3. 28 April 2023. Festival review. The review lauds the energetic pastiche and how it captures teenage angst through over-the-top action and comedy. It praises the cast, especially Nimra Bucha's scene-stealing turn, but notes some repetitiveness and limitations in visual ambition. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sundance-2023/polite-society-review) ## The Wrap 27 April 2023. Manzoor’s boisterous coming-of-age action-adventure is a shrewdly funny and wonderful celebration of sisterhood with an unapologetic feminist spirit. It stands out for its superbly choreographed fight sequences, agile camerawork, and fresh take on Muslim family dynamics without clichés. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/polite-society-review-nida-manzoor/) --- © 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/polite-society.md