--- title: "The Ballad of Jack and Rose: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose" critics_score: 49 critics_reviews: 10 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." --- # The Ballad of Jack and Rose (2005): what the critics said Critics' score 49 from 10 reviews: 0 positive, 5 mixed, 5 negative. Nobody comes out firmly in favour. The reviews split evenly between mixed and negative, and the praise lands almost entirely in one place: the acting. Daniel Day-Lewis is singled out again and again for a naturalistic, charismatic performance, with Camilla Belle and Catherine Keener also admired, and several critics credit Rebecca Miller with complex, carefully drawn characters and some well-made individual scenes. The complaints are just as consistent. Most critics find the symbolism clumsy and the storytelling precious, tipping from poignancy into melodrama; others add that it runs long, that its psychology is thin, and that the coda is weak. The spread is wide, from middling three-star notices to Eye for Film, which calls the film awful despite its good looks and its cast. One small quarrel over Keener: The Guardian finds her role underwritten, while Variety counts her among the film’s clear assets. ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page is blocked by a browser check, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. No specific praise or complaint is visible in the available content. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose-2005) ## Screen Daily — Beth Pinsker Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 3 March 2005. The page identifies this as a review of the film, but the review text is unavailable. Its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined from the visible content. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose/4022257.article) ## The New York Times — A. O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 25 March 2005. The available page does not expose the critic’s verdict. Its specific praise or criticism cannot be verified from the accessible text. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/25/movies/a-60s-holdout-and-his-daughter-searching-for-an-epic.html) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 2.5/4. 8 March 2005. Schager finds the film’s idealism insightful but its dreamy, precious storytelling frustrating. He singles out Daniel Day-Lewis’s naturalistic performance for praise and criticizes Miller’s clunky symbolism. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 31 March 2006. The review finds the film engrossing but patchy, ultimately more pretentious than poignant. It praises the complex characterisation and strong performances, especially Daniel Day-Lewis and the young cast, while faulting trite metaphors and melodrama. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose-review/) ## Empire — Anna Smith Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2006. Smith finds the drama atmospheric but ultimately undermined by clumsy symbolism, indulgent length, and a weak coda. She praises the characters and singles out the performances of Daniel Day-Lewis and the supporting cast. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/ballad-jack-rose-review/) ## Radio Times — Dave Aldridge Rating 2/5. Aldridge gives the film a low rating, suggesting a largely unfavorable verdict. The available review text focuses on Day-Lewis’s performance and the family relationships behind the film. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-410wzb/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2006. Bradshaw finds the film eccentric and unsatisfying, failing to make the most of its cast. He praises Daniel Day-Lewis’s charisma and Camilla Belle’s performance, but faults Catherine Keener’s underdeveloped role. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2006/mar/31/13) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 26 January 2005. Festival review. McCarthy finds the drama distracted and psychologically underdeveloped, despite its strong performances and well-crafted scenes. He particularly praises the cast, singling out Daniel Day-Lewis, Catherine Keener, and Camilla Belle for their convincing character work. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2005/film/markets-festivals/the-ballad-of-jack-rose-1200528470/) ## Eye for Film — The Exile Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 15 March 2006. The critic finds the film ultimately awful despite its visual beauty and strong performances. Daniel Day-Lewis and Catherine Keener’s understated scenes earn praise, while the film’s excessive symbolism and lack of restraint draw criticism. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose-film-review-by-the-exile) --- © 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/the-ballad-of-jack-and-rose.md