Graceland 2012

New York Times: Read more

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: The sins of the fathers are visited upon their daughters in "Graceland," a tense and tough-minded family drama in which young girls are as likely to be victimized by plenty as by poverty. Read more

Richard Kuipers, Variety: A potent combo of hostage thriller and high-impact morality play. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: None of this could work without a stellar performance from Reyes, who anchors the film with distress and panic, but also with basic humanity. Read more

Ben Sachs, Chicago Reader: The film feels increasingly exploitative as it becomes more overtly political, illustrating various forms of injustice with blunt, sensationalistic imagery. Read more

Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: The social and economic pitfalls facing the vast urban underclass of Manila's sprawling metropolitan area are depicted with unflinching regard in Ron Morales' observant low-budget Filipino feature, a blend of ruthless crime drama and grim thriller. Read more

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: A tense, twisty cinematic artichoke brimming with moral complexity and intriguing shades of gray. Read more

Farran Smith Nehme, New York Post: A nerve-shredding Philippines-set thriller made with such skill that its low budget barely registers. Read more

Adam Nayman, Globe and Mail: Graceland ... has a ruthlessness rarely attempted by its North American counterparts. Read more

Andrew Schenker, Time Out: For all the alleged ethical complexity in this thriller's noirish narrative, everything's a little too neat here, from Marlon's ill wife acting as a motivator to the easy disgust generated from showing a room full of 14-year-old hookers. Read more

Ernest Hardy, Village Voice: Writer-director Ron Morales just misses equilibrium in the visually arresting Filipino thriller Graceland. Read more