- 9
They have the perfect supporting cast, made up of a group of exceptional real-life musicians: retired members of orchestras and opera companies, and a pianist bristling with the suppressed impatience of the longtime accompanist. (To see who they are, stick around for the credits.)
—Sarah Bryan Miller St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- 9
The result is a movie of enormous intelligence.
—Rex Reed New York Observer
- 8
Hoffman wisely gives his actors plenty of room to maneuver, and that they do. It's surprisingly fun to watch them play against each other. It's not as if you're going to learn anything new from Quartet. It's too straightforward for that. But that doesn't mean you won't enjoy seeing old pros at work. And you won't be exhausted by the end of it.
—Bill Goodykoontz Arizona Republic
- 8
Smoothly navigating the perilous line between insufferably twee and heartbreakingly grim, Quartet is a subtle, sure-footed delight.
—Ann Hornaday Washington Post
- 8
Quartet is endearing, sometimes even irresistible.
—Claudia Puig USA Today
- 7
It's a privilege to watch peerless actors at the peak of their powers.
—Joe Morgenstern Wallstreet Journal
- 6
This movie will no doubt be pitched to the same audiences that loved "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." It even brings Maggie Smith along. But it lacks that film's life, intelligence and spirit. It has a good heart. I'll give it that. Maybe what it needs is more exotic marigolds.
—Roger Ebert Chicago Sun Times
- 5
A sincere but sloppy piece of work. Mr. Hoffman dotes on his cast of first-rate British actors of a certain age - and invites us to savor their energy and professionalism. This is not difficult, though the efforts of these fine actors might have yielded greater delight if they had been given more to do.
—A.O. Scott New York Times
- 4
More seriously -- and substantively -- "A Late Quartet" was a quiet but thoughtful meditation on the power, and the necessary pain, of human connections. By comparison, Quartet is a flimsy bit of cinematic puffery that takes every obvious path on its way to its even more obvious "seize-the-day" message.
—Mike Scott New Orleans Times-Picayune