The Danish Girl (2015)

Ehrlich finds the film a humane, nuanced story of love, loss and gender identity, despite its melodramatic excesses. He particularly praises Alicia Vikander’s performance and the film’s tender portrayal of complex queer experience.

The critic calls it an emotionally powerful biopic, while noting that its treatment is sanitised. They single out Alicia Vikander’s Gerda as the story’s focus.

Freer finds the film touching, timely and exquisite despite its conventional approach. He singles out Alicia Vikander’s compassionate performance as the element that steals the show.

Debruge praises the film as a sensitive, significant portrait, led by Redmayne’s career-best performance. He singles out Redmayne’s gradual embodiment of Lili for praise, while criticizing the film for smoothing over some of its story’s pricklier details.

Turan finds the film slow to unfold but ultimately affecting, with its intimate love story drawing the viewer in. He especially praises Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander’s nuanced, sensitive performances.

The review is positive, presenting the film as a strong awards-season contender. It singles out Eddie Redmayne’s performance as its key strength.

The review finds that the film cannot reconcile its ideas about identity and desire. It criticizes the portrayal of Lili as a beautiful image rather than a fully realized person.

The review finds the film visually polished but ultimately limited in its treatment of its subject. It singles out the performances, especially Alicia Vikander's, as a strength.

Bradshaw finds the film intelligent, sympathetic and charming, but too tasteful to achieve real passion. He particularly praises Alicia Vikander’s performance while criticizing the film’s prettified presentation of transgender identity.

Scott finds the film worthwhile but imperfect. He particularly praises Eddie Redmayne’s performance as Lili Elbe.

Stables finds the film handsome and sensitively played but overly sweet, with a stiff love story and stately staging. She singles out Eddie Redmayne’s delicate performance for praise, while criticizing the overwritten dialogue and melodramatic marriage scenes.

Kohn finds the film mannered and emotionally shallow, despite its important subject. He praises Vikander’s tender performance and the leads’ chemistry, while faulting the film’s polished surfaces and Redmayne’s artificiality.

Rooney finds the film moving and sincere, but too safe and conventional. He especially praises Eddie Redmayne’s nuanced performance and the film’s intimate observations of Lili’s emerging identity.

Lane finds the film graceful and skillfully handled, but overly restrained and too decorous to fully confront its subject. He singles out Redmayne’s performance, especially Einar’s attentive study of women, as the film’s saving strength.

Calhoun finds the film a disappointingly conservative biopic of pioneering transgender artist Lili Elbe. He singles out Eddie Redmayne’s striking, fragile performance for praise.

Gonzalez finds the film sentimental, stiff, and distancing despite its empathy for Lili. He criticizes its simplistic visual style and its overly sympathetic, politically contemporary portrayal of the world around her.

Edelstein finds the film conventional and emotionally distant, despite the remarkable real-life story it portrays. He singles out Hooper’s failure to get inside the characters’ heads and his tendency to keep Lili’s desires and agency offscreen.

Sexton finds the film over-prettified and Redmayne’s portrayal unconvincing. He particularly criticizes its inaccurate, sentimentalized account of Lili’s life and death.

The review finds the film utterly touching and an important tribute to Lili’s courage. It praises Redmayne’s delicate, naturalistic performance and the intimate bond between Lili and Gerda.

Hammond gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it a powerful love story. He especially praises the performances of Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, along with Redmayne’s subtle transformation.

Goldberg finds the film tender and well-meaning, though it becomes self-conscious and mawkish as the story progresses. He praises Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander’s performances for giving the film emotional strength.

The critic finds the film a worthwhile, if somewhat stodgy, portrait that could help audiences understand gender identity. Redmayne and Vikander’s performances are singled out for their depth and skill.

The URL identifies this as a Venice review of the film, but the article text is unavailable. The page provides no information about the critic’s verdict or what they praised or criticized.

Devereaux finds the film beautiful but too buttoned-up, with its restrained mood blunting emotional impact. She praises the magnetism of the lead performances, especially Redmayne’s transformation into Lili.

Fae finds the film a mostly harmless, qualified success for a mainstream audience, though it is not gripping drama. She particularly praises its focus on the evolving relationship between Lili and Gerda, while criticizing its simplified portrayal of Lili’s transition.

Schager finds the film polished and compassionate but emotionally placid, ultimately a shallow facsimile of a complex life. He praises Alicia Vikander’s magnetic, graceful portrayal of Gerda, while faulting the film for giving her too little unexpected material.

Kurchak finds the film disappointing, calling it a safe, predictable drama that fails to do justice to its subject. She praises Alicia Vikander’s fragile but determined performance as its best attribute.