Samson and Delilah 2009

Tom Long, Detroit News: This lovely, aching film opts for romance in the face of modern ruin. Read more

Neil Genzlinger, New York Times: How do you know you're looking at a pretty good piece of filmmaking? When the director and actors can make you care about the central characters even though they exchange almost no dialogue. Read more

David Fear, Time Out: Thornton's modest little story about two indigenous teens had been hailed as ground zero for a glorious new wave in Australian cinema. For once, the hyperbole seems justified... Read more

Sam Adams, AV Club: Pitched somewhere between City Of God and the Dardenne brothers, Samson And Delilah is unsparing in its brutal vision of the world. Read more

Cliff Doerksen, Chicago Reader: This sterling 2009 debut by Warwick Thornton is harrowing and tragic but has a stoic, stately realism that elevates the material way above victim politics. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: One of the many feats director Thornton pulls off in this beautifully observed, thoughtful picture is that the leads spend the entire movie without uttering a word to each other. Sometimes, words are just redundant. Read more

Dave Calhoun, Time Out: Thornton is brilliant at capturing the isolation that marks these kids' lives and inviting us into their bubble, a place where we come to see tenderness behind rough exteriors and understand the prejudices they face. Read more

Andrew Schenker, Village Voice: The spiritual here is every bit as powerful as the physical. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: The film may be hard as hell to watch, but it's even harder to look away from. Read more