--- title: "Tootsie: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/tootsie/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/tootsie" critics_score: 87 critics_reviews: 6 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." --- # Tootsie (1982): what the critics said Critics' score 87 from 6 reviews: 6 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are consistently positive, with praise centred on Dustin Hoffman’s layered performance and the film’s ability to make an unlikely premise feel believable. Critics repeatedly find vulnerability beneath the farce, crediting Hoffman with giving the comedy emotional weight without slowing its pace. The sharp dialogue, strong supporting cast and Sydney Pollack’s assured direction also draw praise, with several reviews stressing that the humour works because the characters remain recognisable people rather than simply serving the jokes. The spread is narrow, but the enthusiasm is not entirely unqualified. Time Out admires the polish, quick wit and Jessica Lange’s performance while arguing that the film avoids confronting its implications about gender and makes an insulting assumption about female audiences. That reservation stands apart from the other reviews’ emphasis on comic conviction and warmth: the principal disagreement concerns how seriously the film examines the situation it makes so funny. ## The New Yorker — Pauline Kael Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 1982. Kael praises it as a modern screwball comedy with a can-you-top-this quality and believable farce, inconceivable without Hoffman's masterful multi-layered performance as Michael/Dorothy/Emily. She notes the film's energy, casting, and dialogue as major strengths. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1982/12/27/tootsie-gandhi-and-sophie) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 1982. Canby calls it a rollicking, hip comedy that finds comic possibilities in an improbable situation through inspired common sense rather than exaggeration. He singles out Dustin Hoffman's grand, nuanced dual performance as the standout element. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1982/12/17/movies/tootsie-comedy.html) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 8 December 1982. The review deems it remarkably funny and convincing, a rare in-drag comedy with three-dimensional characters and b.o. smash potential. It highlights Hoffman's brilliant performance and Pollack's top career achievement in direction and supporting role. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1982/film/reviews/tootsie-1200425318/) ## Time Out — DP Rating 4/5. 22 July 2015. The critic calls it one of the most polished situation comedies in recent years, praising its quick-witted tone, smart dialogue reminiscent of Billy Wilder, and Jessica Lange's sure-footed performance. However, it faults the film for never confronting its implications regarding gender and for a crassly insulting assumption about female audiences. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/tootsie) ## Empire — William Thomas 1 January 2000. The critic praises Dustin Hoffman's superb performance as the tetchy actor who dresses as a woman to land a soap opera role, noting the genuine vulnerability beneath the farce. The review highlights the hilarious yet touching and tasteful tone, along with strong supporting turns from the cast. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/tootsie-review/) ## Collider — Andre Dellamorte Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 January 2015. The critic calls Tootsie a perfect movie and a testament to its enduring appeal despite its 1982 origins. They single out Dustin Hoffman's lead performance and Sydney Pollack's assured direction for particular praise. [Read the review](https://collider.com/tootise-criterion-blu-ray-review-time-bandits/) ## Paste — Craig D. Lindsey Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 17 December 2022. The critic deems Tootsie a sophisticated comedy classic that succeeds despite its unlikely premise and production challenges. They single out its believable, reality-based humor and the contributions of its multiple screenwriters for praise. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/dustin-hoffman/tootsie-crossdressing-comedy-dustin-hoffman) --- © 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/tootsie.md