---
title: "The Special Relationship: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-special-relationship/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-special-relationship"
critics_score: 56
critics_reviews: 8
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 Special Relationship (2010): what the critics said

Critics' score 56 from 8 reviews: 2 positive, 3 mixed, 3 negative.

## The Hollywood Reporter — Barry Garron

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 14 October 2010. 

Garron finds the film thoughtful, revealing, and honest in its account of power and politics. He praises its well-chosen cast and high production values.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/special-relationship-tv-review-29672/)

## The Guardian — Phil Hogan

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 September 2010. 

Hogan finds the film compelling and elegiac, presenting Blair’s virtues as seeds of his later hubris. He particularly praises Michael Sheen’s mastery of Blair’s eager manner and expressions.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2010/sep/19/special-relationship-coronation-street-review)

## The AV Club — Emily St. James

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 29 May 2010. 

The review finds the film uneven, with rushed and chaotic storytelling undermining an otherwise strong central story. It especially praises Michael Sheen’s nuanced performance as Blair, which helps ground the film.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-special-relationship-1798165106)

## The New York Times — Mike Hale

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 May 2010. 

Hale finds the film engaging overall. Its treatment of the Blair–Clinton relationship is a central strength.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/arts/television/28special.html)

## Empire — Dan Jolin

Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 27 March 2009. 

Jolin finds the film close but ultimately hampered by a rushed pace that leaves its subject matter underserved. He praises the transformative performances, especially Dennis Quaid’s striking Arkansas accent.

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

## Los Angeles Times — Mary McNamara

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 28 May 2010. 

McNamara finds this the weakest entry in the trilogy, criticizing its idealized Blair and the strained portrayal of Clinton. She praises Hope Davis’s sharp Hillary Clinton and says the final scenes regain much of the trilogy’s power.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-may-28-la-et-special-review-20100528-story.html)

## Slant Magazine — Peter Swanson

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 27 May 2010. 

Swanson finds the film decent but the weakest entry in the Blair trilogy, with an episodic story built around an underdeveloped central idea. He singles out Hope Davis’s nuanced portrayal of Hillary Clinton, especially during the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/the-special-relationship/)

## Variety — Brian Lowry

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 2010. 

Lowry finds the film an undistinguished and episodic addition to Peter Morgan’s Blair trilogy. He praises Michael Sheen’s accomplished portrayal of Blair, but says the Clinton performances remain impressions rather than fully realized characters.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2010/tv/reviews/the-special-relationship-1117942841/)

---
© 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-special-relationship.md