--- title: "Saving Grace: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/saving-grace/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/saving-grace" critics_score: 52 critics_reviews: 9 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." --- # Saving Grace (2000): what the critics said Critics' score 52 from 9 reviews: 1 positive, 4 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews lean towards mixed or negative, with Brenda Blethyn’s performance providing the clearest point of agreement. Critics repeatedly credit her with keeping the comedy engaging, finding both comic energy and hints of pain beneath Grace’s capable exterior. The supporting cast also earns praise, as does the sweetness of the friendship between Blethyn and Craig Ferguson’s characters. Even several unenthusiastic reviews find some charm in the film’s gentle farce. The divide concerns how far that charm carries it. More receptive critics find an amiable, controlled comedy; others find the familiar situations twee, the cannabis jokes repetitive and the script padded. Several reservations centre on a finale described as predictable or overambitious. The spread is wide: Variety stands apart with an enthusiastic response to the droll humour and eccentric ensemble, while The AV Club finds the same comic approach condescending and overly cute. ## Variety — Joe Leydon Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2000. Festival review. Leydon calls the film a droll, spirited comedy that should appeal to sophisticated audiences. He particularly praises Brenda Blethyn’s performance and the ensemble’s eccentric comic moments. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/saving-grace-4-1200460200/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be verified from the accessible text. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/saving-grace-2000) ## The Guardian — Peter Preston Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 2000. Preston finds the comedy amiable and funny, though it ultimately feels like a cheerful regression. He praises the cast, especially Brenda Blethyn and Martin Clunes, but criticizes the predictable ending. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,4267,223219,00.html) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 19 May 2000. The review finds the comedy enjoyable and well controlled, though it falters in its farcical ending. It singles out Brenda Blethyn’s measured performance for keeping the film on track. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/saving-grace-review/) ## Empire — Caroline Westbrook Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. Westbrook finds the comedy enjoyable but ultimately twee and clichéd, with little new to offer. She praises Brenda Blethyn’s lively performance but criticizes the familiar comic setups and the overambitious finale. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/saving-grace-review/) ## Radio Times — Neil Smith Rating 2/5. Smith gives the comedy a modest rating, describing it as an updated Ealing-style farce. He singles out Brenda Blethyn’s performance in a role reminiscent of Margaret Rutherford’s. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-kggf46/saving-grace/) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The critic finds the comedy increasingly dull and incoherent, despite its charm. They praise the natural, sweet friendship between Brenda Blethyn and Craig Ferguson’s characters. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/saving-grace-7433777.html) ## The New York Times — A. O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 4 August 2000. Scott finds the comedy gentle and silly but ultimately worn out by its repetitive jokes about English characters getting stoned. He praises Brenda Blethyn for bringing pain and frustration to Grace beneath her capable-housewife facade. [Read the review](https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/080400grace-film-review.html) ## The AV Club — Scott Tobias Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 August 2000. Tobias finds the comedy condescending and overly cute, despite its brisk pace and good intentions. He praises Brenda Blethyn’s nervy comic performance but faults the dated pot humor and padded script. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/saving-grace-1798192442) --- © 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/saving-grace.md