Stella Days 2012

Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: Relaxed performances and pillow-soft photography compensate somewhat for the story's narrow ambitions, but they're not enough to invigorate a movie that clearly would rather charm than challenge. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: Within the square framework, screenwriter Antoine O'Flatharta and director Thaddeus O'Sullivan are able to convey a lot about the atmosphere and attitude of a community in transition. Read more

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter: While its catharsis is somewhat muted and its script uneven, this splendidly acted drama explores its themes with sensitivity, gentle humor and poignancy that will appeal in particular to older audiences. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Soft Irish accents and good intentions aren't enough to save the poky Irish drama "Stella Days," set in a small town on the cusp of change in the 1950s. Read more

John Anderson, Variety: There's no shortage of blarney in Stella Days, helmer Thaddeus O'Sullivan's largely winning drama about '50s rural Ireland, but it's blarney with a twist. Read more

Eric Hynes, Village Voice: Thanks to its understated elegance and surpassing central performance, this modest, too-eagerly schematic period drama is more engrossing than it has a right to be. Read more