Crimes of the Heart 1986

Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times: It is excruciating: a combination of Beth Henley's insistently eccentric screenplay, Bruce Beresford's frenzied direction and the sight of three singular talents on an acting roller coaster with no one riding the brakes. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: [It] has the dubious distinction of calling attention to just about everything the play isn't, and was never meant to be. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: There are moments when the movie doesn't seem to know where it's going, but for once that's a good thing because the uncertainty almost always ends with some kind of a delightful, weird surprise. Read more

Time Out: Beresford fails to generate sufficient chemistry to bind the performances. Occasional bursts of delicious tragic humour nevertheless make this a not unlikeable 'feminist' mood piece. Read more

Paul Attanasio, Washington Post: As Spacek, Lange and Keaton clamor for attention, "Crimes of the Heart" becomes less a movie than a three-ring circus, and ringmaster Beresford does little to direct your gaze. Read more

Rita Kempley, Washington Post: The Oscar-winning actresses make fine confederates -- their gracious collaboration propelling this happy adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Read more