---
title: "Wild Rose: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/wild-rose/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/wild-rose"
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 24
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."
---

# Wild Rose (2019): what the critics said

Critics' score 78 from 24 reviews: 21 positive, 3 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics welcome Wild Rose as a warm, emotionally satisfying drama about musical ambition and motherhood. Praise centres on Jessie Buckley: the reviews repeatedly connect the force of her singing with her ability to make Rose-Lynn’s bravado and vulnerability convincing. Julie Walters also earns praise for the mother-daughter relationship, while several critics value the attention paid to family responsibilities and the pressures facing working-class women. The music is widely credited with making those feelings immediate.

Reservations cluster around the familiar rise-to-stardom story, with some reviews finding the plotting schematic or occasionally clichéd. The disagreement concerns how much that familiarity matters: Slant Magazine finds an unpredictable, empathetic variation, while The New Yorker considers the film uneven despite Buckley’s compelling presence. The spread is largely positive rather than polarised, with no negative verdicts in the supplied tally. Even the more qualified responses tend to find Buckley persuasive.

## The Hollywood Reporter — Leslie Felperin

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2018. Festival review. 

Felperin finds the film entirely delightful and fresh, with a predictable structure that adds to its appeal. She especially praises Jessie Buckley’s magnetic singing and acting performance.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wild-rose-review-1142008/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 June 2019. 

Chang finds the film a deeply satisfying, nuanced crowd-pleaser about ambition, family, and self-discovery. He especially praises Jessie Buckley’s performance for making Rose-Lynn’s confidence and vulnerability feel emotionally coherent.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-wild-rose-jessie-buckley-review-20190619-story.html)

## The AV Club — Katie Rife

Rating B+. 19 June 2019. 

Rife finds the film standard as a show-business fairy tale but special as a character study. She singles out Jessie Buckley’s commanding performance and expressive singing for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/a-country-music-star-is-born-in-the-scottish-honky-tonk-1835660813)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 4/5. 12 April 2019. 

O'Sullivan gives the film a warm, strongly positive review, while noting that some plot turns feel too Hollywood. She especially praises Jessie Buckley's singing and performance, along with the film's female talent.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/wild-rose-review-jessie-buckley-goes-from-glasgow-cleaner-to-nashville-country-star-a4116221.html)

## Little White Lies — Beth Webb

Rating 4/4/4. 8 April 2019. 

Webb gives the film an enthusiastic verdict, praising Jessie Buckley’s energetic performance and the spirited supporting cast. She especially highlights the film’s musical performances and closing song.

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

## Radio Times — Emma Simmonds

Rating 4/5. 

The review says this funny, touching musical drama mostly hits the right note. It singles out Jessie Buckley as sensational in the lead role.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-x302sn/wild-rose/)

## The Guardian — Mark Kermode

Rating 4/5. 14 April 2019. 

Kermode finds the film uplifting and bittersweet, praising its ability to connect country music with the heroine’s struggles. He singles out Jessie Buckley’s gripping performance, especially its balance of bravado and vulnerability.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/apr/14/wild-rose-review-jessie-buckley)

## Time Out — Mark Salisbury

Rating 4/5. 23 January 2019. 

The review finds the film sparky and hugely likeable, praising Jessie Buckley’s energetic performance. It singles out her as the force behind this lively Glaswegian take on a musical-star story.

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

## Vulture — David Edelstein

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 June 2019. 

Edelstein finds the film’s overall construction schematic but ultimately moving and truthful. He especially praises Jessie Buckley’s brilliant, uncanny performance and the rousing final song.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2019/06/wild-rose-review-an-extraordinary-country-performance.html)

## Empire — Terri White

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 8 April 2019. 

The critic finds the film engaging, though not entirely definitive, as it turns a familiar setup into a thoughtful story about motherhood and ambition. Jessie Buckley and Julie Walters are singled out for their beautifully paired performances.

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

## Slant Magazine — Derek Smith

Rating 3/4. 16 June 2019. 

Smith finds the film an empathetic, unpredictable take on the familiar rise-to-stardom story. He praises Jessie Buckley’s dynamic performance and the film’s nuanced portrayal of Rose-Lynn’s competing responsibilities as a singer and mother.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-wild-rose-both-honors-and-upends-the-beats-of-the-star-is-born-story/)

## Screen Daily — Fionnuala Halligan

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 September 2018. Festival review. 

The standfirst signals a positive verdict on the drama. Halligan singles out Jessie Buckley’s performance for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/wild-rose-toronto-review/5132484.article)

## Sight and Sound — Ella Kemp

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2018. Festival review. 

Kemp finds the film warmly optimistic and occasionally clichéd, but ultimately tender and comforting. She singles out Jessie Buckley’s magnetic, authentic performance and the conviction of her relationship with Julie Walters.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/wild-rose-first-look-jessie-buckley-follows-her-star)

## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 20 June 2019. 

Lane finds the film an uneven take on the familiar follow-your-dream story, made compelling by Jessie Buckley’s fierce, untamed performance. He particularly praises Buckley’s presence and the vividness of her singing and character.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/01/toy-story-4-plays-it-again)

## RogerEbert.com

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 

The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available to report.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/wild-rose-2019)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 20 June 2019. 

The URL identifies this as a review of Tom Harper’s Wild Rose. The article text is inaccessible, so its verdict and any singled-out praise or complaint cannot be determined.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/movies/wild-rose-review.html)

## Film Stories — Charlotte Harrison

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2019. 

The critic calls the film a must-see and praises its universal take on an underdog story. Jessie Buckley’s performance is singled out as phenomenal, with Nicole Taylor’s script and Tom Harper’s direction also commended.

[Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/wild-rose-review/)

## HeyUGuys

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. 

The critic is strongly positive, calling the film beautifully crafted and tender. Jessie Buckley’s convincing, charismatic performance as Rose is singled out for particular praise.

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

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 June 2019. 

The review finds the familiar story stirring and unexpectedly engaging, chiefly because of Jessie Buckley’s performance. It especially praises her electric singing and the film’s nuanced treatment of a mother balancing family and ambition.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/wild-rose-film-review-jessie-buckley/)

## Collider — Liam Gaughan

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 19 July 2024. 

The critic calls the film a warm, inviting crowd-pleaser and credits it with avoiding familiar music-movie clichés. They single out Jessie Buckley’s charismatic, sincere performance as the film’s central strength.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/wild-rose-jessie-buckley/)

## Den of Geek — Mark Harrison

Rating 4/5. 2 April 2019. 

Harrison praises the film as emotionally rich and satisfying, despite a slightly slow second act. He singles out Jessie Buckley’s magnetic performance and the moving mother-daughter dynamic, especially Julie Walters’ work.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/wild-rose-review-a-musical-drama-powered-by-a-star-making-turn/)

## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 November 2019. 

Kermode finds the film lively and emotionally engaging, with a strong sense of place. She especially praises Nicole Taylor’s quickfire script and the way the music conveys Rose’s feelings.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/wild-rose-2018-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)

## NME

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

The critic finds the film an affecting, timely story that balances crowd-pleasing appeal with a subversive turn. They praise its perceptive depiction of the pressures facing working-class mothers and female creatives.

[Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-review-wild-rose-2477452)

## The Skinny — Jamie Dunn

Rating ★★★★. 19 October 2018. Festival review. 

Dunn finds the film a delightful crowd-pleaser that grows into an emotionally satisfying story. He singles out Jessie Buckley’s powerful acting and singing, especially her struggle to balance ambition with motherhood.

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

---
© 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/wild-rose.md