- 9
Daly catches the spirit of two resourceful kids who have a lot of gumption to go with their grave suspicion of grownups and his two young stars are unforgettable. He paints a wretched picture of Dublin's seedy underbelly. Yet by keeping his focus on the two remarkable youngsters without an ounce of sentimentality he succeeds in making something true and satisfying.
—Ray Bennett Hollywood Reporter
- 9
...a superior lyrical ragamuffin Irish drama about neighbor kids in a dingy outpost of Dublin who run away from their crummy home situations at Christmas and spend a picaresque night on city streets.
—Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly
- 9
...shows how much you can do with very little. Only 75 minutes long and made in Ireland for what had to be a micro budget, this sweet, savvy and heartfelt film will impact you more and stay around longer than many more elephantine productions.
—Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times
- 8
The movie's ending may be less satisfying than that of Slumdog Millionaire -- a film you can love for its infectiously wishful exuberance, but never fully believe in -- but Kisses is truer to the tragedy of a generation of children whom we have utterly failed.
—Ella Taylor Village Voice
- 7
Terrific non-pro actors Kelly O'Neill (Kylie) and Shane Curry (Dylan) are the backbone of the film...
—V. A. Musetto New York Post
- 7
Affecting film, featuring two flawlessly natural, non-professional leads, sustains its child's-eye point of view without strain, though even at 76 minutes inspiration starts to wear somewhat thin.
—Ronnie Schieb Variety
- 7
...may strike you as either ingeniously magical or insufferably cute, depending on your taste. But more than the story, which circles back on itself, the natural performances of its young stars, Shane Curry and especially Kelly O?Neill, nonprofessional actors, lend the movie a core of integrity.
—Stephen Holden New York Times
- 5
...looks fantastic, with its shadowy Dublin alleys illuminated by the heroes? light-up Heelys. But the writing doesn?t have that same glow.
—Noel Murray Onion AV Club
- 4
...falls into an abyss of cheap coming-of-age melodrama.
—Bill Weber Slant Magazine