62
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80Screen DailyNikki BaughanScreen DailyNikki BaughanIts impact comes not only from the real-life events it’s depicting, but also the way in which it frames this now-familiar tale; a triumph of human – and particularly female – will against adversity and a celebration of those who would seek a better life, despite the costs.
- 75SlashfilmSarah MilnerSlashfilmSarah MilnerAlternating between exuberant and exhilarating, heart-warming and horrific, "The Swimmers" is an ambitious picture that tells an almost unbelievable tale of struggle, perseverance, and triumph.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenThe Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenIn the case of Yusra and Sara Mardini’s remarkable survival story, their empowering journey ultimately proves more rewarding than the conventional destination.
- 60TheWrapSteve PondTheWrapSteve PondThe juxtaposition of jubilance and misery is the film’s modus operandi, however jarring it may seem.
- 50IndieWireRyan LattanzioIndieWireRyan LattanzioAs urgent and necessary as their story is, it also feels too familiar on cinematic terms.
- 50The PlaylistMarya E. GatesThe PlaylistMarya E. GatesDestined to make audiences weep, The Swimmers is no doubt a crowd-pleaser with an important message about the growing refugee crisis worldwide, and Yusra’s story is one worth telling. It’s a pity the filmmakers couldn’t take the time to see her life as more than just a vessel for this message.
- 50VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeAt a bloated 134 minutes . . . your brain may well start to prune, the way fingers do when they spend too much time in water.
- 40The GuardianBenjamin LeeThe GuardianBenjamin LeeThere’s an extraordinary story to be told here. It’s just a shame it had to be told in such an ordinary way.