--- title: "Swan Song: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/swan-song/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/swan-song" critics_score: 65 critics_reviews: 16 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." --- # Swan Song (2021): what the critics said Critics' score 65 from 16 reviews: 9 positive, 4 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics respond positively to Swan Song, with praise centred on Mahershala Ali’s restrained dual performance and the believable near-future setting. Even several detractors find emotional credibility in his portrayal of two versions of one man. The warmer reviews describe a thoughtful, moving drama about mortality, family and selfhood, with science fiction kept close to ordinary human concerns. Variety also praises the chemistry between Ali and Naomie Harris. The spread is wide, however, and the main disagreement concerns how fully the film develops its premise. Admirers value its restraint; less persuaded critics find the relationships thin and the emotional payoff insufficient. IndieWire finds the film moving but regards Poppy as underwritten, a reservation echoed elsewhere in concerns about Harris’s limited role. The AV Club is more firmly dissatisfied, arguing that the ethical dilemma remains underexplored and that Ali’s performance cannot compensate for inert drama and overly explicit storytelling. ## Los Angeles Times — Michael Ordoña Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 15 December 2021. The critic finds the drama compelling, led by Mahershala Ali’s richly grounded performance as two versions of one man. They especially praise how Ali conveys the character’s conflicting emotions with subtlety and depth. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-12-15/review-futuristic-drama-swan-song-showcases-mahershala-ali-twice) ## Radio Times — Kevin Harley Rating 4/5. Harley calls it an intelligent, thoughtful sci-fi tear-jerker. He praises its practical near-future setting and its meditation on mortality and selfhood. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-4k61ji/swan-song/) ## Variety — Courtney Howard Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2021. Festival review. Howard finds the film a tender, thought-provoking weepie that handles its moral and emotional questions with restraint. She particularly praises Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris for the chemistry and depth they bring to the love story. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/swan-song-review-mahershala-ali-1235111214/) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating B. 13 November 2021. Festival review. Ehrlich finds the film moving despite a concept that often constrains its human drama. He praises the instability and nuance of Mahershala Ali’s dual performance, while criticizing the thin characterization of Poppy. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/swan-song-review-mahershala-ali-1234679188/) ## Empire — Nikki Baughan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 13 December 2021. Baughan finds the film an engaging, thoughtful sci-fi drama with a strong central performance. She especially praises its grounded, richly textured production design, while noting that Naomie Harris is underused. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/swan-song/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 December 2021. Bradshaw finds the film elegant, melancholy and unsettling, with an impressively serious approach to its sci-fi mystery. He singles out Mahershala Ali’s convincing performance as a man confronting his double. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/14/swan-song-review-mahershala-ali-is-twice-the-man-in-melancholy-sci-fi-mystery) ## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2021. Festival review. The review presents the film positively, describing Mahershala Ali as a heartbreaker. It singles out Ali’s performance as the film’s standout. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/swan-song-afi-fest-review/5165113.article) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint can be verified. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/tv-review-flesh-and-bone-sings-familiar-swan-song) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 16 December 2021. The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified from the provided text. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/16/movies/swan-song-review.html) ## The AV Club — Vikram Murthi Rating C-. 15 December 2021. Murthi finds the film inert and its ethical dilemma underexplored, despite a premise that could invite deeper questions. He praises Mahershala Ali’s restrained, emotionally credible dual performance, which cannot overcome the thinly developed relationships and overly explicit storytelling. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/swan-song-wastes-mahershala-ali-and-a-promising-eternal-1848210726) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 21 June 2022. The review finds the film disappointing, saying it fails to make good use of Udo Kier. It praises his silent moments and the film’s depiction of queer otherness in small-town America. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/swan-song-disappointing-outing-udo-kier) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2021. Festival review. Rooney finds the film increasingly earnest and dull, with its emotional drama too one-note to move the audience. He praises Ali’s sensitive dual performance and the cinematography’s serene woodsy landscapes. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/swan-song-mahershala-ali-1235047220/) ## Deadline — Valerie Complex Fi1m's normalised score 83/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2021. The critic finds the film powerfully moving, with a grounded sci-fi story that invites viewers to consider mortality and family. They single out Mahershala Ali’s empathetic, electrifying performance, enhanced by Benjamin Cleary’s direction. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2021/11/swan-song-mahershala-ali-electrifying-performance-1234873506/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating B. 20 December 2021. Bonaime finds the film worth watching, though it lacks the emotional weight and payoff its story promises. He especially praises Mahershala Ali’s dual performance and the carefully crafted near-future world. [Read the review](https://collider.com/swan-song-review-mahershala-ali-benjamin-cleary/) ## The Playlist Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2021. Festival review. The page is blocked by anti-crawler protection, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available in the provided text. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/swan-song-review-sci-fi-drama-mahershala-ali-afi-fest-20211113/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2021. Festival review. The critic finds the film underdeveloped, with a narrow point of view and missed opportunities. Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris bring emotional honesty, and the futuristic world is praised as believable. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/swan-song-film-review-mahershala-ali-naomie-harris-glenn-close-awkwafina/) --- © 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/swan-song.md