---
title: "Rebecca: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/rebecca-2020/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/rebecca-2020"
critics_score: 47
critics_reviews: 29
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."
---

# Rebecca (2020): what the critics said

Critics' score 47 from 29 reviews: 2 positive, 15 mixed, 12 negative.

The consensus on Rebecca leans towards disappointment, though most critics find something to admire in its polished appearance and supporting cast. Praise centres on Kristin Scott Thomas’s Mrs Danvers, whose menace, cruelty and emotional shading give the adaptation much of its interest. Manderley’s interiors and the cinematography also draw favourable notices, even from reviews that find Ben Wheatley’s treatment too conventional or short of suspense.

The chief reservations concern the central romance, the leads’ casting and a final act that several critics find rushed or ineffective. Opinion ranges widely: Den of Geek praises the atmosphere and all three leads, while The New Yorker finds the casting and performances unable to give the central tensions emotional force. Some reviews welcome a more romantic approach; others miss the Gothic unease and sensuality. Comparisons with Hitchcock’s version are frequently unfavourable, with critics questioning how much this adaptation adds.

## Empire — John Nugent

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

The review finds plenty to like in Wheatley’s glossy, conventional adaptation, though Hitchcock’s version casts a long shadow. It singles out Kristin Scott Thomas’s deliciously vicious Mrs Danvers as the film’s standout.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/rebecca-2020-2/)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 21 October 2020. 

The review text is inaccessible, so its verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be established. No rating is visible in the available page content.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/21/movies/rebecca-review.html)

## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

The accessible page identifies this as Halligan’s review of the 2020 adaptation, but does not reveal her verdict. No specific element of praise or complaint is visible in the supplied text.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/rebecca-review/5154000.article)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Rating C+. 15 October 2020. 

Ehrlich finds the adaptation visually appealing but ultimately constrained by its source and unable to make its own identity. He praises Kristin Scott Thomas’s performance as Mrs. Danvers, while criticizing the romance and suspense for being weakened by side plots.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/rebecca-review-netflix-1234592742/)

## Radio Times — Emma Simmonds

Rating 3/5. 

Simmonds describes Wheatley’s take on the material as an intriguing marriage of director and story. She singles out Kristin Scott Thomas’s formidable performance as Mrs Danvers.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-seseai/rebecca/)

## Total Film — Kate Stables

Rating 3/5. 15 October 2020. 

Stables finds the remake a handsome, risk-taking romance that trades suspense for sweeping sadness. She praises Kristin Scott Thomas’s chilling performance but says the final-act changes fail to land.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/rebecca-review-netflix/)

## Slant Magazine — Chris Barsanti

Rating 2/4. 15 October 2020. 

Barsanti finds the film attractive but shallow, with its revelations delivered efficiently and without much surprise. He praises the grand design of Manderley and the cinematography’s gorgeous chiaroscuro, while faulting the leads for lacking depth and presence.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/rebecca-review-ben-wheatley-armie-hammer/)

## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Rating C-. 15 October 2020. 

Vishnevetsky pans Wheatley’s adaptation as a tame, incoherent imitation that drains the story of its ambiguity. He singles out Kristin Scott Thomas, Ann Dowd, and Sam Riley for making the most of their entertaining supporting roles.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/ben-wheatley-s-demystified-rebecca-is-a-pale-imitation-1845365436)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

Debruge finds the remake watchable and distinct for much of its runtime, but says Hitchcock’s version overshadows it and the third act derails. He praises Kristin Scott Thomas for giving Mrs. Danvers effective new dimensions.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/rebecca-review-1234805533/)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 2/5. 16 October 2020. 

O'Sullivan strongly dislikes the adaptation, calling it anonymous despite its good looks. She singles out the casting of Lily James as too beautiful to make the heroine convincing.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/rebecca-review-stuffed-with-famous-faces-it-does-inspire-strong-feeling-i-hated-it-a4571846.html)

## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong

Rating 3/2/2. 19 October 2020. 

Strong finds the adaptation a flat, miscast misfire that fails to bring new life to the familiar story. She singles out Kristen Scott Thomas as the lone bright spark, while criticizing the film’s failure to embrace the novel’s Gothic and queer subtext.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/rebecca)

## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen

Rating 2/5. 20 October 2020. 

The critic finds the adaptation tasteful but dull and soporific, calling it a rare misfire for Ben Wheatley. The review’s main complaint is that its measured approach leaves the film sleepy.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/rebecca-1)

## Sight and Sound

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 27 October 2020. 

The critic finds the adaptation polished and intermittently pleasurable, but ultimately conventional and impersonal. They praise its visual design, especially Manderley’s layered, distinctive interiors.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/rebecca-2020-ben-wheatley-du-maurier-adaptation)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

Bradshaw finds the adaptation intermittently enjoyable but overdressed and underpowered, with Max de Winter miscast as an obvious hunk. He praises moments of spectacle and disquiet, particularly the fancy-dress-ball sequence, while lamenting the lost suspense and pain.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/oct/15/rebecca-review-ben-wheatley-armie-hammer-lily-james-kristin-scott-thomas)

## The i Paper — Christina Newland

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

Newland finds the film mostly bland, with its strongest ideas arriving too late to make it compelling overall. She praises Kristin Scott Thomas’s performance as Mrs Danvers and the modern perspective on Rebecca in the conclusion.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/rebecca-netflix-review-lily-james-kristin-scott-thomas-how-to-watch-721018)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2020. 

Chang finds the adaptation disappointing, saying it lacks patience and fails to sustain the story’s mysterious, romantic spell. He praises Kristin Scott Thomas for making Mrs. Danvers memorable and giving her emotional depth.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-10-14/rebecca-review-armie-hammer-lily-james-netflix)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

Rooney finds the adaptation blandly glossy and ultimately ineffective, despite being watchable and well acted. He praises the dazzling mirrored anteroom of Rebecca’s bedroom, while faulting the film’s weak atmosphere and suspense.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/rebecca-film-review-4075573/)

## The New Yorker — Rachel Syme

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 24 October 2020. 

Syme finds the remake superficial and a disappointing retread that fails to deepen the story. She especially faults the casting and performances, which leave the film’s central tensions without emotional force.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/all-the-wrong-reasons-to-remake-rebecca)

## Vulture — Angelica Jade Bastién

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 19 October 2020. 

Bastién pans the adaptation as a hollow, turgid retread that fails to bring fresh life or sensuality to du Maurier’s story. She singles out Kristin Scott Thomas’s precise, unsettling performance as the film’s bright spot.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2020/10/rebecca-netflix-movie-review-a-hollow-turgid-retread.html)

## Den of Geek — Don Kaye

Rating 4/5. 15 October 2020. 

The review finds Wheatley’s adaptation largely successful, though its third act feels rushed and confusing. It praises the atmospheric use of Manderley and the performances of the three leads.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/rebecca-review-lily-james-netflix/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating B-. 15 October 2020. 

Goldberg finds the adaptation haunting and visually striking, but says its third act loses the psychological force built earlier. He praises the lush cinematography and how Wheatley uses the setting to convey isolation and menace.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/rebecca-netflix-review-armie-hammer-lily-james/)

## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

Sandwell finds the adaptation an uneven but often admirable romantic throwback, with its romantic side working better than its psychological chills. He singles out Kristin Scott Thomas’s nuanced, chilling performance, while faulting the opening’s slow pace and the rushed final act.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a34366940/rebecca-review-netflix-lily-james-armie-hammer/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 24 October 2020. 

Kermode finds Wheatley’s adaptation an uncomfortable, distinctive take on the story, though it is imperfect. She especially praises Kristin Scott Thomas’s softly ambiguous Mrs Danvers and the film’s attention to class and the women’s perspectives.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/rebecca-2020-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 6/10. 15 October 2020. 

The critic finds the adaptation slick but stifled, lacking urgency and failing to thrill. He praises the eerie Rebecca-bedroom sequence led by Kristin Scott Thomas, while criticizing the dull courtroom section.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/577226/rebecca-review/)

## Consequence — Matt Melis

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

Melis finds the adaptation visually appealing and intermittently thrilling, but says it plays too safely and falls short of its predecessor. He praises Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas, particularly Scott Thomas’s chilling Mrs. Danvers.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2020/10/film-review-rebecca/)

## NME — Alex Flood

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 21 October 2020. 

The review finds the adaptation frustratingly mediocre, disappointing both fans of the original and of Ben Wheatley’s distinctive style. It singles out Kristin Scott Thomas’s Mrs Danvers and her unpredictable confrontations as the film’s best element.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/rebecca-review-netflix-2784792)

## Paste — Andy Crump

Rating 5.9. 22 October 2020. 

Crump finds the adaptation dull and emotionally restrained, arguing it follows the novel without exploring its sensuality. He praises Kristin Scott Thomas’s chilling performance, while criticizing Armie Hammer’s blunt acting and the film’s lack of tension.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/rebecca-review)

## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 15 October 2020. 

The critic finds the remake passable but lacking the suspense, wit, and romance of Hitchcock’s version. They praise its sumptuous period design, while faulting performances that are mostly overshadowed by the production values.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/rebecca-film-review-2020-netflix/)

## The Ringer — Adam Nayman

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 21 October 2020. 

Nayman finds the remake frustratingly disposable and ultimately too timid to justify revisiting the story. He singles out Kristin Scott Thomas’s playful, cruel Mrs. Danvers and the evocative design of Manderley as standout strengths.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2020/10/21/movies/rebecca-netflix-remake-review-hitchcock)

---
© 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/rebecca-2020.md