Made in Dagenham 2010

Christy Lemire, Associated Press: The performances from Hawkins and co-stars Bob Hoskins, Miranda Richardson and especially Rosamund Pike are what elevate the material above its predictability and cliches. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: So smoothly written and well acted that its humanity and good will leave you with a 1960s buzz of hope that social justice might be at hand; that feeling wears off quickly. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: Quite bold, a master class in peppy distraction; this should be required viewing for all political filmmakers. Read more

David Edelstein, New York Magazine/Vulture: Made in Dagenham is perfectly shameless but shamelessly perfect. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: "Made in Dagenham" plays like "Norma Rae" on blood thinners. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: The real women of the Ford plant - seen briefly and tantalizing in footage played over the credits - surely could tell a more compelling story than this agreeable but overfamiliar effort; perhaps some documentarian, some day, will give them the chance. Read more

Keith Phipps, AV Club: The women look like ordinary people pushed too far. They also look like they have far more interesting stories to tell than those found in the rest of the film. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Everything about "Made in Dagenham" is predictable. But thanks to Hawkins and the other women involved, it's entertaining as well. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: An art-house crowd-pleaser -- a piece of topical toffee that's entertaining, well cast, and predictable every step of the way. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: [A] condescending exercise in you-go-girl uplift Read more

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: A spirited look -- well written, beautifully acted, full of uplift -- at lovably cheeky heroines on the march for a little respect. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Hawkins does all right by her role as written, but I kept imagining what she might have done if she wasn't required to be so unremittingly valorous. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: It's a nice breather indeed. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: [A] cloyingly nostalgic, femme-courting industrial drama... Read more

Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter: Period authenticity is nailed within the film's sunny design and sharply drawn characters, with the U.K.'s class structure and male-oriented industries depicted without fuss. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: In "Dagenham," the filmmaker applies just the right pressure in examining why paying someone a fair wage, no matter their gender, shouldn't be all that difficult to agree to. Harrumph. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: Made in Dagenham gamely depicts an interesting bit of history, but its real message is a matter of principle. Read more

David Denby, New Yorker: The movie is placid and one-dimensional. Read more

Ethan Alter, Hollywood Reporter: Feels as factory-assembled as one of the Ford cars glimpsed in the movie. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Without ever losing sight of the serious issues involved, Cole manages to keep things relatively light-hearted. Read more

Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer: To the extent that this mostly sunny excursion succeeds, it's due to the irrepressible Hawkins. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Despite a tremendous performance by Hawkins, I was never engaged by the struggle of these women. Their fight may have been historical in its impact, but there's little sense that the personal stakes are high. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The unexpected thing about "Made in Dagenham" is how entertaining it is. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Sally Hawkins is just plain irresistible in this funny, touching and vital salute to women in the work force. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: One of those gang-of-gals movies full of bicycles, reggae songs, underwear shots and scenes of emotional growth. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: It's an entertaining, humanist slice of social history scored with a soundtrack of upbeat late-'60s radio hits. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The likable little British import "Made in Dagenham" delivers an overdue valentine to some unsung heroines of the people-power revolution. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: This time out, with a few exceptions, the inspiration feels solid and earned, not saccharine and contrived. Read more

Dave Calhoun, Time Out: Politically it's light, but its mission is honest. It highlights an important episode in a style that you imagine would appeal to the same women it honours. Read more

Justin Chang, Variety: For a movie about fighting for what you believe in, Made in Dagenham never puts a toe out of line. Read more

Melissa Anderson, Village Voice: Wimmin power retrofitted as holiday heart-stirrer. Read more