---
title: "While You Were Sleeping: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/while-you-were-sleeping/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/while-you-were-sleeping"
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 7
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."
---

# While You Were Sleeping (1995): what the critics said

Critics' score 67 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics like it, and they like it for the same reason: Sandra Bullock. Almost every review puts her at the centre, praising the warmth and comic timing of her performance, and several say she is what keeps a thin premise afloat. The family’s light banter draws praise too, and Turteltaub is credited with balancing the farce deftly. The general tone is of a sweet, old-fashioned fairytale that knows what it is.

The reservations are about the plot. Most reviews call it predictable, and more than one admits the deception at its heart is implausible and the whole thing tips into sentimentality. For most this is forgivable. The spread is fairly narrow, with one clear exception: the Los Angeles Times finds the film sugary and intent on coddling its audience, and thinks it makes Bullock too winsome, even while praising her scenes with Bill Pullman.

## Empire — William Thomas

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. 

Thomas finds the romantic comedy enchanting despite its predictable plot and occasional sentimentality. He particularly praises Sandra Bullock’s comic performance, which keeps the story engaging.

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

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Rating 4/5. 

Jones finds the romantic comedy warmly engaging and charming. He singles out Sandra Bullock’s performance and the film’s witty, smartly scripted turns for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-lbz6ad/while-you-were-sleeping/)

## Time Out — TCh

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review presents the film as a sweet, appealing fairytale romance. It singles out the story’s cute and cuddly bedtime-story quality for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/while-you-were-sleeping)

## The New York Times — Janet Maslin

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 April 1995. 

Maslin finds the romantic comedy appealing, with Sandra Bullock’s performance at its center. She singles out Bullock’s warmth as a strength despite the contrived premise.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/21/movies/film-review-the-blossoming-of-a-wallflower.html)

## Variety — Leonard Klady

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 1995. 

Klady finds the romantic comedy’s implausible deception ultimately infectious and predicts it will connect with audiences. He praises Sandra Bullock’s likable, emotionally nuanced performance and Turteltaub’s deft balance of the farce.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/1995/film/reviews/while-you-were-sleeping-1200441403/)

## The New Yorker

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

The critic finds the film simple and predictable but ultimately diverting. They single out the family’s light banter and Sandra Bullock’s watchable performance.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/while-you-were-sleeping)

## Los Angeles Times — Peter Rainer

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 21 April 1995. 

Rainer finds the comedy amiable but overly sugary, predictable, and intent on coddling its audience. He praises Sandra Bullock’s engaging performance and her convincing scenes with Bill Pullman, while faulting the film for making her too winsome.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-04-21-ca-56998-story.html)

---
© 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/while-you-were-sleeping.md