---
title: "The Souvenir: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-souvenir/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-souvenir"
critics_score: 86
critics_reviews: 19
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 Souvenir (2019): what the critics said

Critics' score 86 from 19 reviews: 18 positive, 0 mixed, 1 negative.

## Evening Standard — David Sexton

Rating 5/5. 30 August 2019. 

The critic calls it one of the best UK films in years and by far Joanna Hogg's best work. They single out the brilliantly cast and almost perfectly composed autobiographical story of a toxic relationship.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-souvenir-review-a-disturbing-relationship-and-one-of-the-best-uk-films-in-years-a4224841.html)

## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong

Rating 4/5/5. 24 August 2019. 

Hogg crafts a fragile, fascinating portrait of romance in bloom and decay through personal memoir. The piercing performances of Swinton Byrne and Burke, and their natural chemistry, form the beating heart of this tender yet stinging work.

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

## The Times — Tom Shone

Rating ★★★★★. 1 September 2019. 

The critic calls the film an exquisite, unforgettable masterpiece that describes a first love affair with startling clarity and intimacy, like pages from a diary. It stands as Hogg's crowning achievement among British masters.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/the-souvenir-review-joanna-hoggs-glorious-reflection-on-love-is-a-masterpiece-2ppwlvmq6)

## Time Out — Joshua Rothkopf

Rating 5/5. 30 January 2019. Festival review. 

Hogg’s ravishing cinematic memoir of film-school days and a devastating romance achieves once-in-a-decade emotional precision. Swinton-Byrne’s thoughtful, immediate performance as the innocent Julie anchors the film’s gift of empathy amid self-destructive tension.

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

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2019. 

The critic describes the film as an exquisitely moving self-portrait of a young filmmaker's artistic and romantic coming-of-age. He singles out the intimate, observational direction, the nuanced performances (particularly Honor Swinton Byrne's breakthrough turn), and the tender yet clear-eyed handling of a flawed relationship.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-the-souvenir-review-20190515-story.html)

## Variety — Guy Lodge

Rating Critic's Pick. 28 January 2019. Festival review. 

The critic hails the film as a brilliant, self-effacing memory piece and richly reflective work that movingly examines a young artist's growth through a toxic relationship. He singles out the piercing lead performances and Hogg's elastic, well-observed tone blending satire, whimsy, and emotionalism.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/the-souvenir-review-1203120073/)

## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 August 2019. 

The critic finds Hogg's most personal film yet a subtle, mysterious and beautiful work that confirms her status as a modern visionary through its deft story of young love. The mother-daughter relationship and musical interludes stand out as quietly superb elements amid the austere plainness.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/aug/29/the-souvenir-review-joanna-hogg)

## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 27 January 2019. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film piercing, personal and distinctive, praising its elliptical storytelling and Honor Swinton Byrne's layered performance as the young artist entangled in a destructive relationship.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/souvenir-film-review-sundance-2019-1177626/)

## Empire — Terri White

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 28 August 2019. 

The critic describes it as an understated, exquisite gem that will enthrall those who appreciate Hogg's style. They single out the extraordinary lead performance by Honor Swinton Byrne and the precise depiction of a woman developing her artistic vision amid a toxic relationship.

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

## Sight and Sound — Kate Stables

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 August 2019. 

Hogg delivers a gorgeously melancholy, lightly fictionalised portrait of her own youthful experiences in 1980s London. The film stands out for its painterly vignettes and the way it explores the line between emotional complicity and exploitation through Julie’s artistic awakening.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/souvenir-review-joanna-hogg-pulls-threads-doomed-romance)

## Slant Magazine — Carson Lund

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 May 2019. 

The critic views the film's stylistic shifts as a virtue reflecting the director's self-examination, highlighting the nuanced portrayal of a toxic romance and its impact on the protagonist's artistic growth.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-the-souvenir-is-a-knotty-trip-down-memory-lane/)

## The New Yorker — Richard Brody

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 23 May 2019. 

The critic finds the film ambitious but frustrating due to its anecdotal structure and lack of psychological depth or exploration of the protagonist's inner experience. He praises the strong, well-calibrated performances of the leads, especially Honor Swinton Byrne and Tom Burke.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-souvenir-reviewed-joanna-hoggs-ambitious-frustrating-autobiographical-drama)

## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric

Rating 5/5. 9 July 2019. Festival review. 

The critic praises Hogg's slow, reflective and precisely detailed account of a young woman's toxic relationship and artistic growth in 1980s London. Extraordinary performances by Honor Swinton Byrne and Tom Burke anchor this mesmerising study of memory, grief and the creative process.

[Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-souvenir-review/)

## The Playlist — Carlos Aguilar

Rating A. 1 February 2019. Festival review. 

Hogg's introspective, semi-autobiographical drama examines how a toxic romance fuels a young film student's artistic reinvention and personal growth. The director's subtle visual mastery and the standout debut performance by Honor Swinton Byrne elevate this exquisitely personal work.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/souvenir-joanna-hogg-sundance-review-20190201/)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 9/10. 24 May 2019. 

Hogg's impressionistic, vignette-driven approach creates an authentic, lived-in portrait of a year in the life of a film student navigating a destructive relationship. The quiet, genuine performances, especially by Honor Swinton Byrne and Tom Burke, make the film ultimately stunning and rewarding for those who stick with its deliberate pace.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/564009/the-souvenir-review/)

## Paste — Andy Crump

Rating 9.0. 14 May 2019. 

The critic calls the film an instant masterpiece and one of the year's most remarkable releases. They single out the exquisite balance in depicting Julie's ambitions and her relationship with Anthony, along with the lead performances.

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

## The Ringer — Adam Nayman

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 June 2019. 

The critic hails the film as a breakthrough that announces Hogg as a major cinematic voice and one of the year's most impressive features. They single out the technically superb images, the nuanced central performance by Honor Swinton Byrne, and the film's open-ended quality.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2019/06/10/movies/the-souvenir-joanna-hogg-movie-review)

## The Wrap — Tomris Laffly

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 15 May 2019. Festival review. 

The critic praises the film as an exquisitely composed, precise yet dreamy memory piece that captures a coming-of-age tale through patient details and a toxic romance. They highlight the meticulous recreation of memories through lighting, costumes, and cinematography as sophisticated and cinematic.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-souvenir-film-review-sundance-grand-jury-joanna-hogg-tilda-swinton/)

## The Skinny — Philip Concannon

Rating 4/5. 21 August 2019. 

Hogg mines her formative years as a film student in 80s London in this painfully intimate memoir of a toxic relationship that almost derailed her. The critic singles out Honor Swinton Byrne's delicately vulnerable performance as Julie for particular praise.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-souvenir)

---
© 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-souvenir.md