The Trip to Bountiful: reviews

What the critics say average 8.4 from 14 outlets

• 10 Los Angeles TimesMary McNamara It’s an exquisitely rendered and masterfully acted film on Lifetime, and hand to God, this is one you don’t want to miss. Read
• 10 PeopleTom Gliatto Tyson elevates this character into a prism through which passes the span of existence.... You will be sighing for days.
• 9.1 Entertainment WeeklyJason Clark Horton Foote's 1953 teleplay proves as durable as ever in this transfer of 2013's hit Broadway revival. Cicely Tyson is as fiercely magnetic on a small screen.
• 9.0 The Plain DealerMark Dawidziak It's a sentimental journey, to be sure, but it never gives in to sentimentality. And while Tyson leads the way on this trip of a Lifetime, she is surrounded by co-stars adding illumination at every turn. Read
• 9.0 Sioux City JournalBruce Miller Tyson's so perfectly cast, perfectly directed and perfected nuanced, Bountiful overflows with the kind of goodness we rarely find in TV movies. Read
• 9.0 Dove.orgEdwin L. Carpenter What a terrific and moving film! Cicely Tyson turns in a remarkable performance as an elderly lady named Carrie Watts. Read
• 8.8 The Mercury NewsChuck Barney “Bountiful” is yet another reminder that we can’t take our elders for granted, and one more testament to the national-treasure status of Cicely Tyson. It all adds up to a trip that’s well worth taking. Read
• 8.0 New York Daily NewsDavid Hinckley All the actors nail their parts, but Tyson runs the show. Read
• 8.0 VarietyBrian Lowry Mostly, though, it’s a showcase for Tyson, who has remained impressively busy in recent years. Read
• 8.0 The Hollywood ReporterAllison Keene Lifetime has had a number of attempts at heartwarming movies in the last few months, but none of them have been so authentic as The Trip to Bountiful, which hits all the right sweet and nostalgic notes without becoming saccharine or overdone. Read
• 8.0 TV GuideMatt Roush As fables go, Bountiful is fairly uneventful yet unexpectedly affecting, thanks to Tyson's unsparing honesty.
• 7.5 The A.V. ClubMolly Eichel It’s focused on Mrs. Watts’ personal journey home, her escape from the small bubble she’s come to know. As it is, it’s wonderful to watch Tyson make that escape. Read
• 7.5 New York PostSara Stewart It’s not the world’s most artful film, but it successfully brings the spirit of the play to the screen, enabling a much wider audience to enjoy the substantial charms of seeing Tyson in such a thoughtful part. Read
• 5.0 PopMattersJose Solís This Lifetime version of The Trip to Bountiful feels appropriate to remind people to go to the theater, to go seek why shows keep being turned into films and TV miniseries. The Trip to Bountiful, as it is here, isn’t always worth the ride. Read