--- title: "Weekend: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/weekend/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/weekend" critics_score: 84 critics_reviews: 20 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." --- # Weekend (2011): what the critics said Critics' score 84 from 20 reviews: 20 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. Every one of the twenty reviews is positive, and the praise gathers in the same place: the two lead performances and the talk between them. Most critics find Tom Cullen and Chris New credible and unshowy, and say the long conversations across the 48 hours carry the film rather than slow it. Several single out Andrew Haigh’s long takes and his plain view of an ordinary English town. The comparison to Before Sunrise comes up, and most reviews credit the film with sidestepping the stereotypes of gay romance. The reservations are small and few. The Hollywood Reporter thinks the drinking and drugs dull it a little. Variety finds it modest in scope, effective mainly as a two-hander. The Playlist notes some structural looseness. Those three are the coolest notices and all came from festival screenings; the reviews written on release in Britain are the warmest, several of them at full marks. The spread runs from good to very good and no further. ## The AV Club — Alison Willmore Rating A. 22 September 2011. The critic calls it a great indie romance that is bittersweet, achingly authentic, and intimate to the point of feeling invasive. It excels through detailed looks at two flawed, likable men whose connection unfolds via realistic conversation and contradictions. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/weekend-1798169682) ## Film Comment — Paul Brunick Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). The critic calls the film a work of surpassing emotional insight and artistic accomplishment, already one of the best of the year. They single out its ambitious, unhurried characterizations and the lead actors' emotionally complex, unself-regarding performances that build to an unexpectedly powerful climax. [Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/andrew-haighs-triumphant-weekend/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2011. The critic finds the film a smart, sensitive portrayal of two men whose one-night stand deepens into unexpected emotional intimacy through extended conversation. It singles out the natural dialogue and performances for making the connection feel poignant and real, akin to the Before Sunrise films. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/weekend-2011) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 August 2011. Festival review. A casual one-night stand blossoms into a meaningful connection in this beguiling second feature. It features believable characters, true dialogue, layered performances, and develops into a genuine heartbreaker. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/weekend/5030841.article) ## Sight and Sound — Samuel Wigley Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 20 December 2011. A one-night stand deepens into a deeply romantic weekend in Nottingham. The film excels through long takes, sincere performances, and intimate exploration of a new relationship. [Read the review](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/6577) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Rating Critic's Pick. 23 September 2011. The critic calls the film an astonishingly self-assured and unassumingly profound exploration of two young men whose casual encounter grows into something more serious. It singles out the matter-of-fact observation of ordinary British life and the risks of emotional openness for making it one of the most satisfying love stories of the year. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/movies/weekend-directed-by-andrew-haigh-review.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 3 November 2011. The film is a tender, humane lo-fi account of a fleeting gay romance with real-time realism and something urgent to say about life's opportunities. It praises the convincing performances and unforced direction while noting the focus on emotional connection over dramatic issues. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/nov/03/weekend-film-review) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. Andrew Haigh's study of a temporary relationship is more sophisticated than most gay cinema. It is eloquently directed, acted with conviction and, above all, written with a shrewd feeling for the truth, treating its subject with matter-of-fact realism as a refreshingly adult voice on the British film scene. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/weekend-review-7427430.html) ## Little White Lies — Paul Weedon Rating 3/4/4. 4 November 2011. Haigh's intimate drama follows two men forming an unexpected connection after a one-night stand. It offers refreshingly natural performances and an honest, stereotype-free depiction of gay romance and relationships. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/weekend) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 September 2011. The critic describes the film as a moving and empathetic look at how relationships develop between two gay men over 48 hours. It singles out the exceptional, nuanced performances by Tom Cullen and Chris New for their emotional depth and credibility. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-sep-30-la-et-weekend-20110930-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2011. The critic sees the film as a bold revision of the meet-cute archetype through naturalistic drama that embraces romantic fictions while revealing characters' vulnerabilities. It succeeds by showing how conversations and connections narrow the gap between idealized representations and real emotional truth. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/weekend-5759/) ## Time Out — Ben Walters Rating 4/5. 1 November 2011. An engaging and moving romance between two men over 48 hours in a mid-sized town. It stands out for potent performances, smart framing, and probing questions of identity and performance. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/weekend-3) ## Empire — Philip Wilding Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 November 2011. A casual pick-up evolves into 48 hours of introspection, revelation and soul-searching fuelled by drink, drugs and sex. Terrific low-key turns from the two leads inject their growing bond with genuine emotion, making this a love story that will get under the skin of romantics everywhere. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/weekend-2-review/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Farber Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 8 July 2011. Festival review. The critic finds the film has a crucial dramatic spark in showing why two particular men are drawn to each other through convincing performances and an insightful script. Some deglamorized elements like excessive drinking and drugs slightly undermine it, but the overall romance succeeds. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/weekend-film-review-209309/) ## Variety — Joe Leydon Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 24 March 2011. Festival review. The critic finds the earnest and understated film modest in scope but effective as an intimate two-character drama opened up slightly for the screen. It singles out the credible give-and-take between the leads and their extensive conversations for carrying the story. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/weekend-2-1117944880/) ## HeyUGuys — Jamie Neish Rating 5/5. 28 October 2011. The review praises Weekend as a remarkably assured and charismatic romantic drama about two gay men finding unexpected love. It highlights the authentic execution of the relationship, explicit but natural sex scenes, and its accessibility beyond queer cinema. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/weekend-review/) ## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn Rating 5/5. 25 October 2011. The critic praises it as the year’s wittiest hymn to romance and a bittersweet, politically astute subversion of the rom-com. They single out the director’s use of long takes, vérité visuals and dynamic editing to capture the leads’ constantly shifting relationship. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/weekend) ## Paste — Michael Burgin Rating 8.0. 22 November 2011. The film is a quiet, well-executed study of a relationship’s first bloom between two men. It stands out for its authentic performances and avoidance of stereotypes in depicting gay characters navigating connection and societal pressures. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/weekend) ## The Playlist — The Playlist Staff Rating B+. 25 March 2011. Festival review. The review finds Weekend a mostly-assured debut with unexpected power, emphasizing the provocative idea that homosexuality is a political act and the intimate, chatty dialogue between the leads. It notes some structural issues but praises the low-key intimacy. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/sxsw-review-the-politics-of-sex-in-weekend-20110325/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 November 2011. The critic commends Haigh for achieving emotional authenticity through fiction and strong newcomer performances, creating a lasting impression of genuine connection. It singles out the slow-burn chemistry and naturalistic development of the relationship in a realistic urban setting. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/weekend-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) --- © 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/weekend.md