The Killing of Two Lovers: reviews

What the critics say average 8.2 from 24 outlets

• 10 The Hollywood ReporterDavid Rooney The Killing of Two Lovers is a transfixing drama without a wasted word or a single inessential scene. Read
• 10 The PlaylistJonathan Christian Its message is timeless. Its performances? Flawless. And if “The Killing of Two Lovers” can be described as anything more than a must-see film, it can best be defined as a cautionary tale dedicated to the fragility of the family structure in the United States, a showcase of a radically talented filmmaker and a dedication to the painful reality of love. Read
• 9.1 The A.V. ClubMike D'Angelo Ultimately, a movie like this succeeds or fails largely on the strength of its lead actors, and Machoian cast his well. Read
• 9.1 IndiewireEric Kohn “The Killing of Two Lovers” moves at such an involving pace that it’s easy to get lost in the tension of the moment and forget we’ve seen countless iterations of this scenario before. Read
• 9.0 Los Angeles TimesJustin Chang Fast-moving and slow-burning by turns, “The Killing of Two Lovers” suggests that real life — and real drama — so often unfold in the in-between moments, in the anticipation rather than the actual execution of the next move. Read
• 8.9 The Austin ChronicleSteve Davis It’s a familiar template for domestic drama, particularly in its observations about traditional masculinity, but rarely – at least, in recent memory – has this type of story felt so potent or dangerous. Read
• 8.8 Movie NationRoger Moore The situations are documentary-real, the acting barely feels like “acting” at all as we invest in the story, feel its pain and fear its outcome. Read
• 8.3 The Film StageJohn Fink While the narrative may seem to some frustratingly sparse, The Killing of Two Lovers represents a leap forward for Machoian who somewhat scales up, creating a hauntingly personal portrait of a couple at a crossroads struggling in more ways that one to get by. Read
• 8.3 Original-CinKim Hughes In reality, the starkly lit and shot film is a gently paced family drama about a collapsing marriage which, come to think of it, merits its horror-story veneer even if it is something of a red herring. Read
• 8.3 Entertainment WeeklyLeah Greenblatt With his proud, wounded performance at the center, the film's raw vérité style and unforced naturalism do more than set a mood; in its best moments, it breaks your heart. Read
• 8.0 VarietyDennis Harvey Crawford’s dominating performance makes David no hick but a sensitive and accommodating man a bit intimidated by his admittedly “much smarter” wife, flailing in his efforts to hold together a family unit he can’t go on without. Read
• 8.0 Film ThreatKyle Bain It pulls viewers to the edge of their seats and never relents, and never stops prodding at the emotions of everyone watching. Read
• 8.0 The GuardianPeter Bradshaw Machoian, who is also the editor, composes each scene with studied care and Oscar Ignacio Jiménez’s clear, crisp cinematography and framing is beautifully achieved. This is a compelling portrait of a toxic marriage. Read
• 8.0 The TelegraphTim Robey The believability of this fractured family is clinched by Machoian’s casting. Read
• 8.0 Time OutDave Calhoun The film offers little relief to the nerves, but it’s a surprising, curious drama, consistently thoughtful, artful and provocative. Read
• 8.0 CineVueChristopher Machell Machoian has crafted an intense, moving and bleak portrait of a disintegrating marriage and fractured masculinity. Read
• 8.0 The ObserverSimran Hans Crawford is brilliant and bitter as a soon-to-be divorced dad unable to accept his fate. Read
• 8.0 MicropsiaDiego Lerer This striking debut feature from the American photographer and short-film maker is an original audiovisual study of a potentially violent love triangle in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Read
• 7.5 Slant MagazineWes Greene The film’s cramped compositions hauntingly underline the claustrophobic nature of its protagonist’s life. Read
• 7.5 Roger EbertPeter Sobczynski Admittedly, this 85-minute film is not the kind of movie you wish that had been a lot longer. And yet, it’s still worth exploring for a number of reasons—primarily the strength of Crawford’s performance—and those who do not have a problem with raw and unflinching dramas may indeed find it well worth watching. Read
• 7.5 LarsenOnFilmJosh Larsen Crawford is riveting in the lead, tapping into David’s impotence and barely suppressed rage while also making him sadly sympathetic—especially in the sweetly sincere moments where he tries to maintain a genuine connection with his children. Read
• 7.0 Rolling StoneK. Austin Collins Robert Machoian’s debut feature, The Killing of Two Lovers, has a tough psychological knot braided right through its center, one that it doesn’t quite satisfyingly untangle — not that it exactly means to. Read
• 7.0 Screen RantMae Abdulbaki Driven by the emotional drama that is constantly bubbling to the surface, the film handles the unsettling feelings of its characters and tension-building with ease, leaving the audience with a complex, compelling story. Read
• 5.8 Paste MagazineAndrew Crump The Killing of Two Lovers is remarkable to behold, but all the technique in the world can’t distract from the holes littering the production beyond cinematographer Oscar Ignacio Jiminez’s lens. Read