darlings movie review rotten tomatoes

Home » Streaming Service

Darlings review – an interesting exploration of female agency in an abusive relationship

This review of the Netflix film Darlings does not contain spoilers

Life has a way of coming full circle for everyone. Most of the time, parents find themselves in similar situations vicariously through their children. Their past finds a way to the present and creates an even worse situation. Director Jasmeet K. Reen raises the bar for dark comedies with Darlings . Considering that this is her directorial debut, the story is a bit heavy, but the entire cast does an exceptional job in telling this story. The subject of emotional and physical abuse from a partner has become more mainstream in media because there is a need to share these stories. No matter how painful they may be, these stories help other victims share theirs. This film follows Badru (Alia Bhatt) and her abusive, alcoholic husband Hamza (Vijay Varma) as they navigate their destructive marriage.

The honeymoon phase at the beginning is quickly shown to show the power dynamic between the two. Badru was more forthright and hotheaded, while Hamza was sweet and understanding. It quickly cuts to three years later, and we see that their dynamic has drastically changed. Their apartment is darkly lit, and there is this unease within the room. The roles have changed because of the conditioning through marriage. He is supposed to be the man of the house, the supporter, the strength that carries the family, and he projects those insecurities on Badru. When Hamza goes to work, it’s not his ideal position and he is demeaned in the workplace. So, naturally, he goes home to Badru to assert his dominance and have some control in his life. He blames the alcohol to justify his actions and so does Badru, which is incredibly heartbreaking to watch.

Badru truly loves Hamza, and that is why it’s so hard for her to leave him. Any victim will tell you that it is incredibly difficult to leave the person you love even though they are abusing you. We see the pain and the hurt that Badru endures, but she continuously goes back to him, because she also blames the alcohol. Until it’s not the alcohol. Everyone around her tries to help her get through this with Hamza, and halfway through is where the drama turns into a very dark comedy. People can approach situations in different ways and that is what Badru does in this movie. It truly does depend on your sense of humour or how you feel about the subject matter in order to appreciate the angle of this movie.

Darlings is a strong directorial debut from Reen and will surprise many people. It is a bit hard to watch at times, but it’s necessary. There are different perspectives shown on domestic violence and it helps viewers process all situations. The cast all work together quite well to deliver this story as authentically as possible for viewers to understand how difficult living with an abuser can be. There were some choices made by Reen that surprised me but made the movie interesting to watch in the second half. It’s impressive because of how much care went into telling this story uniquely and honestly in a way that everyone can resonate with. Reen makes the viewers connect with these characters and that’s the important part of telling this story.

What do you think of the Netflix film Darlings? Comment below.

You can watch this film with a subscription to Netflix.

Article by Amanda Guarragi

Amanda Guarragi joined Ready Steady Cut as an Entertainment Writer in June 2022. She is a Toronto-based film critic who has covered TIFF, Sundance Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, and HorrorFest International. Amanda is also a growing YouTuber, with her channel Candid Cinema growing in popularity.

The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Season 1 Episode 1 Recap - Remember the CRM?

Ozark season 4, part 2 - does Ruth Langmore die?

This website cannot be displayed as your browser is extremely out of date.

Please update your browser to one of the following: Chrome , Firefox , Edge

Action/Adventure
Children's/Family
Documentary/Reality
Amazon Prime Video

More From Decider

'The Golden Bachelor' Stars Gerry Turner And Theresa Nist Divorcing Three...

'The View' Reacts To O.J. Simpson's Death: "The Tragedy Was The...

'The View' Forced To Evacuate Their Studio Before Wednesday's Show After...

'X-Men '97' Gives Gambit a Hero Moment You'll Never Forget

Holly Madison Says She “Tried” Exotic Dancing But Doesn’t Have...

'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' at 10: The Movie That Made (and...

Joy Behar Says She Was "Dragged Into" Controversy Over Beyoncé's 'Jolene'...

Guy Fieri Calls Drew Barrymore "Gangster" For Talking With Her "Mouth Full...

Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Darlings’ on Netflix, A Dark Hindi-Language Marital Dramedy

Where to stream:.

'Monkey Man' Hits During Its Fight Sequences, But Gets Muddled When It Tries To Explore Religious Extremism in India

11 best new movies on netflix: april 2024's freshest films to watch, stream it or skip it: ‘murder mubarak’ on netflix, an indian ensemble murder mystery that recalls 'glass onion', stream it or skip it: 'poacher' on prime video, a drama about the search for elephant poachers in india.

A Netflix India original film, Darlings stars Bollywood superstar Alia Bhatt in a lead role for the streamer. Produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s production company Red Chillies Entertainment, the film is the latest in the established relationship between the company and the streamer. After a string of subpar Netflix India original films, does Darlings break through?

DARLINGS : STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Badru (Alia Bhatt) and Hamza (Vijay Varma) are a lower-class married couple in India, whose love marriage was initially opposed by her mother (Shefali Shah). Three years into the marriage, Badru endures constant physical and emotional abuse from an alcoholic Hamza, but she stays in the marriage thinking that having a child would change him. But after she sees that he’ll never change, Badru and her mom concoct a plan to get rid of him forever.

What Will It Remind You Of?: The films end in very different places, but Badru’s plotting against her abusive husband is reminiscent of the central plot of 2017’s Til Death Do Us Part .

Performance Worth Watching: Vijay Varma’s performance as Badru’s abusive husband Hamza is equal parts entrancing and frightening. Starring opposite heavy hitters like Shefali Shan and Alia Bhatt, Varma holds his own and is menacing through and through.

Memorable Dialogue: When someone suggests that Badru divorce Hamza, her mother retaliates, citing that traditional Indian society has not yet come around on accepting women who choose divorce (a true statement, based on recent events). “The world has changed for the people on Twitter, not for people like us,” she says.

Sex and Skin: Nothing explicit to be found here.

Our Take: Darlings is a film that will make you laugh and cry in the same scene, by design. Following a woman stuck in an abusive marriage with the belief that she can change her husband, the film relies heavily on its three leads to carry the film’s message, and all three rise and deliver. Bhatt and Shah as a mother-daughter duo caught in a cycle of abuse are the lifeblood of the film — celebrating when they make personal gains and scheming up diabolical plans when their backs are against the wall. Varma holds his own against the two powerhouses as the central antagonist who always seems one step ahead of them.

But the film doesn’t really show Badru and Hamza’s relationship before things got bad, making it hard to understand why she loved him and put up with his behavior. The lack of character development hinders the film’s ability to convince audiences to sympathize with Badru, as we only ever see Hamza’s abuse and none of his love (outside of some occasional sweet talk). Darlings also has some pacing issues and could have been quite a bit shorter.

The Netflix film leans into comedy even when addressing a serious and topical subject, and most of the time it pulls off the balance. The result is a pretty engrossing film that will have you on the edge of your seat for most of its runtime.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Despite some flaws, the film is enthralling and the performances are strong.

Radhika Menon ( @menonrad ) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Vulture, Teen Vogue, Paste Magazine, and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.

Stream It Or Skip It

Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? 'Yellowstone' Season 5, Part 2 Premiere Date, Kevin Costner Updates, And More

Is 'Civil War' Streaming on Netflix or HBO Max?

'Dune: Part Two' Comes to Digital, But When Will 'Dune 2' Stream on Max?

Are 'Chicago Med,' 'Chicago Fire' and 'Chicago P.D.' New Tonight? Here's When 'One Chicago' Returns to NBC With New Episodes

Woody Allen in Exile: 'Coup De Chance' Finally Arrives On Streaming, Where No One Will Shame You For Watching

New Movies on Streaming: 'Kung Fu Panda 4,' 'Sleeping Dogs' + More

'Darlings' movie review: Alia Bhatt lights up this dark comedy

A still from the trailer. (Photo | Netflix @ Twitter)

Darlings have a cast to kill for. Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma and Roshan Mathew headline this seductive black comedy set in Mumbai. But that’s just the start. Equally fascinating, at least to me, are the supporting players who populate the world of this film. Vijay Maurya, Rajesh Sharma, Puja Swarup, Kiran Karmarkar and Ajit Kelkar turn up in minor parts and make them memorable. Even in unimportant scenes, your eye is never bored. Darlings is a reminder that, though Hindi cinema may be having a generally drab year, it’s not for a lack of human resources.

The film opens with a short, smart prologue. Badrunissa (Alia Bhatt) rushes to a movie date with her boyfriend, Hamza (Vijay Varma). She waits and waits, missing the show. He turns up late, bearing a teddy bear and apologizing. “Government job leke aya (I found a government job),” he tells her. “Let’s get married.” Badru brightens up, hugging him. The couple looks happy though we already know what’s coming. It’s also notable, I think, that the scene unfolds outside a famous multiplex in Mumbai. Having missed a film, Badru’s life proceeds to get decidedly un-filmy.

My first film as a producer!!! So excited nervous thrilled emotional to share it with you!!!! DARLINGS TRAILER OUT NOW! https://t.co/EqBIAYNAh7 — Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) July 25, 2022

When we meet her next, Badru is three years into an abusive marriage. Hamza, a jerk and an alcoholic, routinely hits his wife, triggered by anything from slips in her cooking to a genuine concern for his well-being. He’s an inept ticket examiner by profession, projecting—it is suggested—his anger and frustration from work on his quietly suffering wife. Badru tries everything to get him to change: de-addiction pills, titillation, even a child. One day, pushed beyond all fathomable limits, she takes her husband hostage.

Darlings (Photo | Alia Bhatt @ Instagram)

Going by the trailer of Darlings, you’d expect this twist to come much earlier on in the film. Crime comedies, after all, are all about the payoff. But director Jasmeet K Reen is loath to jump the gun. Teaming with co-writer Parveez Sheikh, she takes time delineating the patterns of abuse. The first hour is a gripping yet excruciating loop of Hamza’s violations of his wife. He’s a baiter and a master manipulator, frighteningly aware of his wife’s hopes and dreams and emotional weak points and using them to his advantage. Delicately, without ever really blaming her, the film shows how far Badru has internalized his behaviour. Shamsu (Shefali Shah), Badru’s acerbic, hard-bitten mother, repeatedly tells her to leave him. But she can’t. Class no doubt plays a part in it. “Things have changed for folks on Twitter,” Shamsu tells a cop at one point. “Not for us.”

Alia is brilliant as Badrunissa. As in Gully Boy (2019) and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022), her Bombaiyaa accent is spot-on (with an eccentric ‘S’ added to the ends of English words). While her characters in the aforementioned films were defined by their assertiveness, Badru is a bit of a muddle. Even after she has restrained, drugged up and tortured Hamza, she remains weirdly open to his machinations and appeals (or gives a good impression of it). Shefali is entertaining as Shamsu, “Badappan gaya kan khujane,” she shoots—though the winner, clearly, is Vijay Varma. There are more layers to his Hamza than all one-note abusive husbands from Hindi films combined. He’s a creature of pauses and tics. His menace comes in bursts. Nana Patekar would be proud.

Badrunissa (Alia Bhatt) from the movie Darling

Cinematographer Anil Mehta works masterfully within limited spaces and settings. Notice how, in the early stages of the film, he retains his angles inside Hamza and Badru’s home, and changes them up only after the dynamics of this cramped household have shifted. The intricacies of Chawl's life are emphasised; you get a sense of a hundred small hustles running parallelly. The songs, too, are a banger, especially the wild and swooning ‘Pleaj!’ by Mika Singh.

ALSO READ | Shah Rukh Khan sang Darlings song ‘La Ilaaj’ on phone, wanted it for himself: Vishal

The second half loses some of its edgy focus. Having pushed its characters to a corner, the film struggles to bail them out. Jasmeet appears to be searching for a clean finish, despite the obvious messiness of what’s unfolding onscreen. Certain indulgences, like portraying the cop characters in strictly comic terms, could’ve been avoided. On the whole, though, Darlings entices and thrills, even if I wish the film had gone all out. I wish it had killed its darlings.

Director: Jasmeet K Reen Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, Vijay Maurya, Rajesh Sharma, Puja Swarup Streaming on: Netflix Rating: 3.5

(This review originally appeared on cinemaexpress.com )

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

Download the TNIE app to stay with us and follow the latest

Darlings movie review: Alia Bhatt brings out her quirky best in this dark comedy with questionable story

Darlings movie review: alia bhatt gives one of her best performances in darlings, a story about a woman's revenge on her violent husband..

The husband is an alcoholic who holds no remorse for assaulting his wife every night, the wife is head over heels in love with the man and doesn't mind cooking breakfast — the staple bun omelette — every morning for him with bruises all over — this may be a regular occurrence in many Indian households, but rarely gets talked about the way it should. Picking a subject like domestic violence for a dark comedy isn't ideal, but Darlings, starring Alia Bhatt , Shefali Shah and Vijay Varma, manages to hit the nail on the head. Directed by debutante Jasmeet K Reen, it is a quirky (as ironical as it may sound) take on how abuse against women and men is normalised. Nothing justifies the actions of either, but it's interesting to see the story pan out in a way that it never really looks unsettling. (Also read: 'Gauri Khan doesn't like anything', says Alia Bhatt, shares her review of Darlings )

Darlings movie review: Alia Bhatt and Shefali Shah in a still from Darlings.

Badrunissa Shaikh aka Badru (Bhatt) is smitten by roadside romeo Hamza Shaikh (Vijay Varma), and marries him as soon as he secures himself a government job. Cut to three years later and life after marriage, we see Bhatt getting beaten up every night for a new reason every time. Sometimes it's a kankar in the food, sometimes just because she sat in a colony meeting without the husband's consent. And once because he thinks she's having an affair. The intensity of abuse gets disturbing and more intense with each day, until one day when Badru decides to stand up and take charge. From that point, Darlings shows how a middle-class mother-daughter duo (Shah and Bhatt), who is caught in their own circumstantial hang-ups, gradually discovers their inner strength to survive in a city like Mumbai, battling all odds.

With a runtime of two hours 14 minutes, the film is well-paced with interesting revelations being made one after the other. Reen's story that she has co-written Parveez Sheikh is gripping and does trigger emotions of angst, helplessness and empathy. More than the story, the dialogues by Vijay Maurya (along with Sheikh and Reen) are impressive and genuinely make the film fit into the dark comedy genre. Some one-liners and comic punches are so subtle that if you don't pay attention, you won't understand why the person sitting next to you is laughing so hard. Wait for the climax that is funny and sad in its own way.

But in parts, the story does bother you when domestic violence is used as a ploy to trigger laughs — a woman sticking by her husband despite being abused, a man showing no sign of regret or for his actions, silent spectators shown as caricatures. At a time when more progressive and empowering stories are being liked by audiences, Darlings make you sit back and think, 'Did we really need a film like this to make a point or give a message?' At times, the film appears to be dealing with the situation at a surface level and does not seem to want to delve deeper into figuring out the psyche of such men, who think domestic violence is normal and just blame it on alcohol.

Moreover, Darlings is loaded with stereotypical characters, too. A lady who owns a salon on the ground floor, is privy to the scenario, but would rather discuss it with her clients than take any action. There's a trusted uncle, butcher Kasim Bhai (Rajesh Sharma) who covers up for the family's dirty actions. There's also Hamza's cunning boss (Kiran Karmarkar) who makes his life hell and loves to poke his nose in other people's business.

That being said, performances in Darlings take the cake. Bhatt is in full form; her quirky lines, dialogue delivery, vulnerable expressions, emotional meltdowns help connect with her on a deeper level. In fact, in some portions, she reminded me of Gully Boy's Safeena. Playing her onscreen mother is Shah, who delivers a phenomenal performance, and is way more restrained as compared to her recent outings in Humans and Jalsa. Shah is endearing, strong and lends the apt support to Bhatt's story.

Varma is impressive as Hamza and does succeed in making you hate him. He's cruel and unreasonable and his character, I felt, is written in the most realistic manner. Roshan Mathew as Zulfi is another character to watch out for. He might have in-your-face scenes, but whatever little he gets to perform, he doesn't go unnoticed. I wish there were more scenes with him, and his bond with Shah and Bhatt was fleshed out in a better way.

The camaraderie between Bhatt and Shah is perhaps on the strongest USPs of Darlings. It is rather a clever move on the part of filmmakers to have this mother-daughter story at the heart of the film, and not just focus on the domestic violence angle between the couple. But when tables turn and Hamza is the supposed victim at the hands of his merciless wife and her mother, violence against men somehow appears to look like a joke. Of course, Badru's actions are justified for she's full of vengeance and hatred, but somewhere it does make you question the very premise of Darlings. I won't be surprised if many diss Bhatt for agreeing to play a role that's seemingly misandrist, but then, we have to take everything with a pinch of salt.

Watch Darlings for some hard-hitting realities of our society, ace performances, dark humour.

Darlings Director: Jasmeet K. Reen Cast: Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, Vijay Varma, Roshan Mathew

Shefali Shah
Netflix India
Netflix Party

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like.

Terms of use
Privacy policy
Weather Today
HT Newsletters
Subscription
Print Ad Rates
Code of Ethics

Elections 2024
India vs England
T20 World Cup 2024 Schedule
IPL 2024 Auctions
T20 World Cup 2024
Cricket Players
ICC Rankings
Cricket Schedule
Other Cities
Income Tax Calculator
Budget 2024
Petrol Prices
Diesel Prices
Silver Rate
Relationships
Art and Culture
Telugu Cinema
Tamil Cinema
Exam Results
Competitive Exams
Board Exams
BBA Colleges
Engineering Colleges
Medical Colleges
BCA Colleges
Medical Exams
Engineering Exams
Horoscope 2024
Festive Calendar 2024
Compatibility Calculator
The Economist Articles
Explainer Video
On The Record
Vikram Chandra Daily Wrap
PBKS vs DC Live Score
KKR vs SRH Live Score
EPL 2023-24
ISL 2023-24
Asian Games 2023
Public Health
Economic Policy
International Affairs
Climate Change
Gender Equality
future tech
Daily Sudoku
Daily Crossword
Daily Word Jumble
HT Friday Finance
Explore Hindustan Times
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Subscription - Terms of Use

Darlings (I) (2022)

User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

User Ratings
External Reviews
Metacritic Reviews
Full Cast and Crew
Release Dates
Official Sites
Company Credits
Filming & Production
Technical Specs
Plot Summary
Plot Keywords
Parents Guide

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits
Alternate Versions
Connections
Soundtracks

Photo & Video

Photo Gallery
Trailers and Videos

Or browse by category:

Get the app
Movie Reviews
Best Movie Lists
Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

Best TV Lists
Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
Common Sense Selections for TV
Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

Book Reviews
Best Book Lists
Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

Game Reviews
Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

Podcast Reviews
Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

App Reviews
Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

YouTube Channel Reviews
YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

Explaining the News to Our Kids

Family Tech Planners
Digital Skills
All Articles
Latino Culture
Black Voices
Asian Stories
Native Narratives
LGBTQ+ Pride
Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Little darlings: the movie, common sense media reviewers.

Kids' book adaptation has complex themes, positive messages.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The intention is more for entertainment than educa

Friendship and teamwork are key themes. Families c

Destiny and Sunset show maturity for their age (11

Both sides of the central family are Black. Destin

Death of a mother mentioned. Story told in passing

Joke about mouth-to-mouth resuscitation with a des

Some name-calling such as "weirdo" and "diva."

Characters are initially impressed by big houses a

Educational Value

The intention is more for entertainment than education. However, the film does teach about the flip side of fame and social media, and the complexities of merging two single-parent families.

Positive Messages

Friendship and teamwork are key themes. Families can be complicated but can also be a source of love and support. Fame and social media have their negative sides as well as positive. Believe in yourself and never be ashamed of how you feel.

Positive Role Models

Destiny and Sunset show maturity for their age (11) and often behave in a more reasonable way than their arguing parents. They are kind and supportive toward each other but sometimes plot schemes that involve lying -- including stealing a phone and creating a fake voicemail message. Kate and Danny are loving, encouraging parents but can let their anger toward each other get in the way of what is best for their kids. Danny sometimes puts his fans first but learns that family is more important.

Diverse Representations

Both sides of the central family are Black. Destiny is excited to learn that she's half Nigerian. Passing mention of Igbo culture and its beliefs around the meaning behind names. Danny and Kate are single parents. Shows Destiny meeting her father for the first time, as well as her new sisters and brother. A supporting character who organizes the talent show has a disability and uses a walking frame, which is not shown to hinder their ability. The young girls are interested in fashion, singing, and dancing, which adheres to some gender stereotypes, further supported by screaming female fans and portrayal of women in a bachelorette party.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Death of a mother mentioned. Story told in passing about someone being bitten by a security dog and breaking their ankle. Some verbal bullying at a talent contest.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Joke about mouth-to-mouth resuscitation with a desirable star.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Characters are initially impressed by big houses and the latest fashions, with a scene involving looking at an expensive jacket in an online shop.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Little Darlings: The Movie is an adaptation of the popular kids' book by Jacqueline Wilson , with positive messages and diverse representation across its characters. It is about an 11-year-old girl called Destiny (Janae Vito) who discovers that her father, Danny Kilman (Lemar), is a famous singer and meets him for the first time, along with his three children. It centers around the friendship between Destiny and her new sister Sunset (Diaana Babnicova), as well as the reconnection between her mother (Jamelia) and father. There are big houses, expensive cars, and a focus on fashion. But the film also shows some negative sides to fame and social media, and among the messages is the importance of family above all else. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Little Darlings: The Movie: Destiny walks up on stage at the talent contest

Community Reviews

Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

Ok kids film

What's the story.

In LITTLE DARLINGS: THE MOVIE, 11-year-old Destiny (Janae Vito) lives with her mother (Jamelia) and spends much of her time singing in her room. When she discovers that her father is famous pop star Danny Kilman (Lemar), she meets him and forms a close bond with his daughter Sunset (Diaana Babnicova). But not everyone in the families gets along so well. Can the two work together to make their fighting parents make up? After all, being sisters is their destiny.

Is It Any Good?

Adapted from the bestselling book by popular kids' author Jacqueline Wilson , this is a fun, uplifting movie that deals with some difficult themes, yet it's full of positive messages. Starring a cast of bright young actors, as well as British '90s pop stars Jamelia and Lemar, Little Darlings: The Movie has plenty that will appeal to kids, and a touch of nostalgia for parents to boot. The acting can feel a little wooden and melodramatic in places. But the warmth between the two young sisters and the sparky chemistry between the older leads keep the scenes on track.

Pulling from the inventive hand-drawn illustrations of the book, the film uses mini-animations to move between scenes, adding a quirky, colorful edge that ties it in with the characters' preteen diaries. Add to that an adorable singer-songwriter sibling duo and a big family performance at the end, and this is a bright and lively adaptation that could well become a favorite for young Wilson fans.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about what Little Darlings: The Movie says about fame. Can you think of positives and negatives about being famous?

How do Destiny and Sunset show great teamwork ? Can you think of a time when you've demonstrated good teamwork?

How does the movie explore the theme of family, and what are the different ways that family is portrayed?

The movie has a diverse array of characters. Why is representation in the media important?

Movie Details

On DVD or streaming : April 14, 2022
Cast : Janae Vito , Jamelia , Diaana Babnicova
Director : Ian Aryeh
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Sky Cinema
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Book Characters , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship , Music and Sing-Along
Character Strengths : Teamwork
Run time : 105 minutes
MPAA rating : NR
Last updated : June 17, 2022

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Hannah Montana: The Movie

Want personalized picks for your kids' age and interests?

High School Musical

Best Friends

Movies that promote teamwork, movies based on books, related topics.

Book Characters
Brothers and Sisters
Music and Sing-Along

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

Supported by

‘Alice, Darling’ Review: That’s What Friends Are For

Anna Kendrick stars in a drama about a woman in an abusive relationship who finds refuge with two girlfriends during a getaway.

Share full article

Three women stand in the woods, with the middle one holding a maul.

By Manohla Dargis

When the title character in “Alice, Darling” makes her entrance, she looks the picture of the thoroughly modern, liberated, happy woman. From the outside, Alice (Anna Kendrick) seems to have it all or almost, including a career, dear friends, a nice Toronto pad and an attentive boyfriend. Look closer, though, and you can see the fissures surrounding her smile. The longer you look, the more numerous and deeper the cracks appear, making the impeccable image that Alice presents to the world seem concerningly, precariously fragile.

I’m not a Kendrick completist, but I’m always happy to see her. A pleasant, personable, ever-so-slightly off presence, she is one of those performers who looks like someone you know or would like to. She’s a fine actress with natural charm, and part of her appeal is that she excels at playing characters who seem recognizably real. Kendrick looks like a pal, like someone you went to high school with, although maybe didn’t get stoned with because she comes across as so straight — that is, if you ignore that she can also seem awfully tightly wound, like someone who needs to keep it together, like someone who’s performatively normal.

The sense that there’s more going on under Kendrick’s likable persona works well for both her character and for this movie, a liberation story that tracks Alice as she struggles to break free of her emotionally abusive lover and her paralyzing fears. Like everything else in Alice’s life, her boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick), looks good from the outside. He’s a successful enough artist who’s worried about his upcoming gallery show. He’s nice looking, too, though his behavior — how he looms over Alice, how he scowls, the contempt that creeps into his voice, the insults that he rains down on her — makes him very ugly. And still, she loves him.

The story revs up when Alice takes a trip with two friends from childhood, Sophie (a necessary and strong Wunmi Mosaku) and Tess (an amusingly spiky Kaniehtiio Horn). Together, they set off to the countryside where Sophie’s parents have a waterside house. The plan is to hang out and celebrate Tess’s birthday, and the trip gives Alice an excuse to get away from Simon, who haunts both her sleep and her waking hours. Mostly, though, it allows the movie to get down to its unsurprising business: Cue the warm looks and fond memories, the booze and pinpricks of unease, some face-offs and a reckoning.

Written by Alanna Francis and directed by Mary Nighy, “Alice, Darling” has a jittery, intriguing premise that evokes classic gaslighting films. Alice’s rotten relationship and her inability to accept the truth about Simon stirs up tension and makes you feel something serious is at stake: You’re worriedly on her side from the start. Once the story moves to the country, though, it downshifts as it becomes a female friendship tale and the movie stalls. One issue is that the characters simply aren’t persuasive as a unit, and despite the performers’ efforts, their interactions never find the flow that comes with longtime intimacy, even when things have gone south. These women just don’t make any sense together.

The larger problem is that there’s not enough here — in story terms or in the filmmaking — to sustain even the movie’s 90 minutes. Sophie and Tess exchange puzzled looks amid the perfunctory staging and camerawork as Alice retreats and lashes out, including at herself. She briefly gets caught up in a search for a missing local woman, a grim subplot that’s presumably meant to serve as a cautionary tale but mostly comes across as padding. The filmmakers also fold in many flashbacks of Simon berating Alice, which make his emotional abuse incontrovertible but do little to bring her into focus. Kendrick looks suitably unhappy, and while you feel for her character, you mostly wish that this actress were in a better movie.

Alice, Darling Rated R for partner emotional abuse, self-harm and violence. Running time: 1 hour 30 minutes. In theaters.

Manohla Dargis has been the co-chief film critic of The Times since 2004. She started writing about movies professionally in 1987 while earning her M.A. in cinema studies at New York University, and her work has been anthologized in several books. More about Manohla Dargis

Explore More in TV and Movies

Not sure what to watch next we can help..

Even before his new film “Civil War” was released, the writer-director Alex Garland faced controversy over his vision of a divided America with Texas and California as allies.

Theda Hammel’s directorial debut, “Stress Positions,” a comedy about millennials weathering the early days of the pandemic , will ask audiences to return to a time that many people would rather forget.

“Fallout,” TV’s latest big-ticket video game adaptation, takes a satirical, self-aware approach to the End Times .

“Sasquatch Sunset” follows the creatures as they go about their lives. We had so many questions. The film’s cast and crew had answers .

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime and Hulu to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Sign up for our Watching newsletter to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

KILL YOUR DARLINGS Review

Read Matt's Kill Your Darlings review for John Krokidas' new drama starring Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, and Jack Huston.

[ This is a re-post of my review from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Kill Your Darlings opens today in limited release. ]

If poetry doesn't broaden our view of our world and force us to push the boundaries of our lives, then it's pointless. Poetry cannot always tap into the chaos and beauty of life if it must be constrained by meter, verse, and rules set down centuries ago. Poetry, when wielded by genius, can seduce, defend, condemn, and most importantly, transform. Words are powerful enough to change the world, but even in the hands of the most gifted writers, they can be futile against our frailties, insecurities, and desires. In his magnificent debut feature, director and co-writer John Krokidas has created a moving, exhilarating, and heartbreaking film in Kill Your Darlings . Led by breathtaking performances by stars Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan , and Ben Foster , Kill Your Darlings watches the greatest writers of a generation push the boundaries of modern American culture only to find that even the best words, the most well-spoken words, the most honest words, can fail when spoken to a shattered heart.

After grabbing our attention with an intense opening scene between the two lead characters, Kill Your Darlings circles back to 1943 and a young Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe) going to Columbia University to follow in his father's footsteps as a poet. Ginsberg, a fan of Walt Whitman, quickly bristles as the rules his professor attempts to force on poetry. The young man's rebellion catches the attention of classmate Lucien Carr (DeHaan), who introduces Ginsberg into a "wonderland" of expanded thinking courtesy of big ideas coupled with doses of Benzedrine and nitrous oxide. Through Carr, Ginsberg befriends William Burroughs (Foster) and Jack Kerouac ( Jack Huston ), and the young men go forth to create "The New Vision", which will tear down artistic fascism and bring the world into a new age of creative freedom. But a shadow is cast over their glorious, boundary-breaking mission as Ginsberg becomes further enthralled with Carr, and competes for his affections with David Kammerer ( Michael C. Hall ), who has a complicated relationship with Lucien.

Krokidas shares the passion, the energy, and the erudite rebellion of his main characters. In one of the film's best scenes, the members of "The New Vision" break into Columbia's restricted section to liberate material like Lady Chatterly's Lover and images of pornographic Roman pottery. Up until this point, Krokidas uses period-appropriate music. But once the break-in begins, Krokidas plays the song "Wolf Like Me" by TV on the Radio. Like his characters, Krokidas refuses to play by contemporary rules, and he celebrates the wild, passionate, and aggressive art brought forth by Ginsberg, Burroughs, and Kerouac. Kill Your Darlings brims with vitality and verve because Krokidas knows how to tap into the passion of the characters, but never forgets the subtext of his story.

The director and his co-writer Austin Burr wrap their plot in murder and fill the story with artistic ambition, creative madness, and unrequited love. The dialogue sings with a writer's voice of carefully chosen words that can deceive, plead, confess, and coerce. Through the script and his cast, the power of poetry becomes unlocked as we understand not only its form, but the majesty of its function. Through the voices of his astonishing cast, poetry comes to life and reaches its full potential.

Radcliffe's transformation to the next phase of his acting career is complete with Kill Your Darlings . The range and magnitude of his performance here is nothing short of breathtaking. We feel every ounce of Ginsberg's pain, frustration, and longing, and Radcliffe makes it look effortless. So much is happening inside Ginsberg—from the development of his poetic voice to his guilt over his schizophrenic mother's imprisonment at an asylum to his love for Lucien—Radcliff perfectly hits every moment in the character's emotional whirlwind. He is the broken but still beating heart of the story, and his longing for Carr is almost completely devastating.

The sublimity of Radcliffe's work is matched by the staggering performance from DeHaan. Combined with his recent films, Kill Your Darlings establishes DeHaan as one of the greatest actors of his generation. He is completely and utterly seductive as Lucien, and we become as mesmerized and enraptured as Allen. We immediately understand why Ginsberg and Kammerer would fall for Carr, and why he could recruit geniuses like Kerouac and Burroughs to "The New Vision" even though Lucien lacks even a modicum of their writing talent. When Lucien raises a glass to Allen and says, "To Walt Whitman…you dirty bastard," DeHaan owns us.

The rest of the cast overflows with talent. David Cross, Jennifer Jason Leigh , and Elizabeth Olsen all shine in minor roles. Huston charms and disarms as a Kerouac, who can arouse Ginsberg's jealousy and also endear the young poet with a few kind words. Hall is both pitiable and pathetic as the lovelorn and desperate Kammerer. And once again, Foster disappears into a role. It took a few minutes for me just to recognize him behind Burroughs' distinctive wireframe glasses and a voice that is both monotone yet strangely melodic. Foster remains one of the best and most underappreciated actors working today, and his work here would be as notable as Radcliffe and DeHaan's if Burroughs had more screen time.

These actors and this filmmaker have a way with words, which is perfect for a film that shows the ways words can create and destroy. Today, poetry sadly feels like a bit of a dead art form. Can anyone name the U.S. Poet Laurette? Is that person even any good? Who's the best poet working today? Kill Your Darlings reignites the urgency of poetry and submerges us in a sublime ode to the transformative power of the written word. Poems shouldn't be empty words lying naked on a page. Krokidas and his phenomenal cast remind us that great poetry must not be forgotten; it needs to be understood, embraced, and celebrated for the great and horrible power it possesses and how it possesses us.

an image, when javascript is unavailable

97%: “12 Years a Slave”

Praise: “It seems certain to transcend the movie realm and become a new reference point in contemporary culture — a defining vision of what slavery looked like, and felt like, in the U.S. before the Civil War.” — Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Skepticism: “The movie nails all this, and it’s smashingly effective as melodrama. But (Steve) McQueen’s directorial voice — cold, stark, deterministic — keeps it from attaining the kind of grace that marks the voice of a true film artist.” — David Edelstein, New York Magazine’s Vulture

Note: This list is limited to films released in theaters Dec. 3 or prior. Percentages are the cumulative average of Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes scores. Compiled by Maane Khatchatourian and Allegra Tepper.

96.5%: “Gravity”

Praise: “In a little more than 90 minutes (‘Gravity’) rewrites the rules of cinema as we have known them.” — A.O. Scott, New York Times

Skepticism: “Unlike (Alfonso) Cuaron’s extraordinary ‘Children of Men,’ it doesn’t quite pull off its ambitious effort to combine formal inventiveness, heart-pounding action and intimate human storytelling. But it succeeds thrillingly at the first two of those categories, and only misses the mark on the last because it tries a little too hard.” — Dana Stevens, Slate

96%: “Before Midnight”

Praise: “If the first two films belong with the greatest (if talkiest) movie romances of all time, the new film is richer, riskier, and more bleakly perceptive about what it takes for love to endure (or not) over the long haul.” — Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Skepticism: “As ever, the energy and sense of spontaneity is enlivening, but there’s a slight air of phoniness that doesn’t sit well with the in-the-now realism of Linklater’s project.” — Dave Calhoun, Time Out London

91%: “All Is Lost”

Praise: “(J.C.) Chandor’s attention to detail, and the expressiveness and utter believability with which Redford goes about the anything-but-mundane business of surviving, make ‘All Is Lost’ a technically dazzling, emotionally absorbing, often unexpectedly beautiful experience. — Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

Skepticism: “‘All Is Lost’ is more fun to think about than it is to actually watch: It’s a testament to a great actor, an experimental piece of cinema and a bit of a bore.” — Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald

90%: “Short Term 12”

Praise: “ ‘Short Term 12’ is a small wonder, a film of exceptional naturalness and empathy that takes material about troubled teenagers and young adults that could have been generic and turns it into something moving and intimate.” — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Skepticism: “There’s a too-cute-to-be-true ending to this U.S. indie movie by the much-acclaimed young director Destin Cretton; I couldn’t buy it, and found myself wondering if I had kept the receipt for the rest of the film too.” — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

89.5%: “Dallas Buyers Club”

Praise: “By the end of this sincerely calculated, always watchable movie, everything has burned away but the fury, including whatever you may think or have thought about the actor (Matthew McConaughey) you’re looking at. That’s how good the performance is.” — Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Skepticism: “Despite its good intentions and moxie-filled performances, ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ is ultimately marred by its impulse to compromise its freewheeling humanity in favor of crowd-pleasing tropes.” — Nick McCarthy, Slant Magazine

89.5%: “Fruitvale Station”

Praise: “Without ever being forced or false, and with an amazingly honest eye and ear for detail, writer-director Ryan Coogler’s drama about a young man’s final hours is one of the most extraordinary films you’ll see this year.” —Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

Skepticism: “Coogler … evokes a tangible sense of place, and his staging of the climactic incident hits like a fist in the gut. It’s not enough to wipe out his reduction of this real-life figure into a composite-character martyr or the lukewarm filmmaking that’s come before, even if you’re left shaken…” — Sam Adams, Time Out New York

88.5%: “Captain Phillips”

Praise: “A great many filmmakers — too many — use handheld cameras. … But director Paul Greengrass is unique. At a glance, his live-wire, ragged-camera method may seem overly familiar, but the way he employs it, that method is as expressive as the style of a superb novelist.” — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Skepticism: “There is something too dry and austere about Greengrass and (screenwriter Billy) Ray’s telescoped vision, which touches only fleetingly on the pirates’ motives, the suffering of the Somali people and the collateral damage of global capitalism.” — Scott Foundas, Variety

88%: “Blue Is the Warmest Color”

Praise: “From the moment when Adele first catches sight of Emma, on a busy crosswalk, the movie restores your faith in the power of the coup de foudre and yet redoubles your fear of its effect; love, like lightning, can both illuminate and scorch.” — Anthony Lane, New Yorker

Skepticism: “However sympathetic are the characters and (actress Adele) Exarchopoulos, who produces prodigious amounts of tears and phlegm along with some poignant moments, (director Abdellatif) Kechiche registers as oblivious to real women.” — Manohla Dargis, New York Times

87%: “Enough Said”

Praise: “James Gandolfini, in one of his final roles before his death in June, is so sweetly funny in this rueful comedy that you wish he had been given more chances to tap his talent for the lighter side.” — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Skepticism: “Despite the wit and literacy of ‘Enough Said,’ its form is straight out of a teen romance: A cool kid starts dating someone less cool, and then engages in some elaborate deception that, if found out, will threaten the progress of young love.” — Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

87%: “Mud”

Praise: “ ‘Mud’ poses as a mere adolescent adventure tale but explores a rich vein of grown-up concerns, exploring codes of honor, love and family too solid to be shaken by modernizing forces.” — Peter Debruge, Variety

Skepticism: “ ‘Mud’ is as unmoving as it is because it doesn’t aspire to be anything other than a competent anti-fairy tale in which the paint-by-number morals are enforced by equally obvious main protagonists.” — Simon Abrams, The Playlist

84.5%: “Blue Jasmine”

Praise: “A meaty, fully realized drama that cleverly functions as both an update of ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ and a satire on One Percent excess.” —Justin Chang, Variety

Skepticism: “ ‘Blue Jasmine’ is so relentlessly clueless about the ways real human beings live, and so eager to make the same points about human nature that (Woody) Allen has made dozens of times before, that it seems like a movie beamed from another planet.” — Stephanie Zacharek, Village Voice

84.5%: “Nebraska”

Praise: “Mr. (Bob) Nelson’s observant, detailed script flawlessly captures the mood of what American ennui has done to both old and young men on their way to becoming losers, lending a look and feel that seems like the Great Depression.” — Rex Reed, New York Observer

Skepticism: “The absurdist atmosphere feels thin: the movie is like a Beckett play without the metaphysical unease, the flickering blasphemies and revelations. We seem to have entered dim-bulb territory.” — David Denby, The New Yorker

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed for Henry Cavill & Alan Ritchson's Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

The latest film from director Guy Ritchie and starring Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson among others, is currently fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Good reviews are boosting The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ahead of its box office debut, promising a strong opening weekend.
The film's positive reception on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 78% fresh rating, highlights its engaging cast and action sequences.
Despite facing competition from other new releases like Civil War and Abigail , the movie is expected to hold its own at the box office.

The latest film starring Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson, among others, has received some good news heading into its opening weekend. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , directed by Guy Ritchie, has debuted with an impressive score on Rotten Tomatoes that could go a long way in enticing moviegoers to give this one a shot at the box office.

Per Rotten Tomatoes, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare currently holds a 78% fresh rating with 27 reviews counted so far. The film debuted with an impressive 81% on the site, so it has only dipped slightly since the review embargo was lifted, which bodes well as more reviews are expected to come in. Most of the reviews lean on the positive side and even though they acknowledge that it does have its share of flaws ( MovieWeb's review found it just below average ), the film's cast and action set pieces have been cited as highlights that make the movie an entertaining experience. Check out our interview with Cavill and the cast below:

Good Reviews Will Help The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare at the Box Office

The ministry of ungentlemanly warfare.

Good reviews will go a long way to helping The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare fare well at the box office. The film has to compete with last weekend's Civil War , which debuted to an impressive $25.7 million, marking A24's biggest opening to date . Should the film slide 50% in weekend two, some industry experts still think it has a shot to maintain the top spot, even with Warfare and other new releases on deck.

The True Story Behind The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Explained

The Radio Silence-directed vampire horror effort Abigail also opens this weekend and could offer its own brand of competition. Horror is a particularly easy sell as fans have been known to show up for genre titles even if reviews are subpar. In the case of Abigail , reviews are strong so far, with a 79% fresh rating and 19 reviews counted as of this writing. The film is currently tracking for a $12 million opening, which would put it in a dead heat with Civil War for first place if the movie doesn't lose more than half of last weekend's audience.

So where does that leave The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ? Tracking currently has the movie opening between $6-8 million, which is pretty much on par with Ritchie's last film The Covenant , which opened to $6.3 million. The Covenant had solid reviews as well, boasting an 83% fresh rating, but it didn't break out with casual moviegoers, despite the presence of Jake Gyllenhaal and an impressive 98% audience score. Warfare does have an "A-" CinemaScore working in its favor from sneak previews held last week, so there's still a chance that positive word of mouth and good critical reviews will allow the movie to exceed its tracking.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a spy action comedy that is based on the 2014 book Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII by Damien Lewis. The film is a fictionalized version of Operation Postmaster, which used unconventional tactics and contributed significantly to the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. In addition to Cavill and Ritchson, the film also stars Eiza Gonzalez, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Cary Elwes, and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare opens in theaters on April 19, 2024.

New horror movie about killer spiders debuts to strong Rotten Tomatoes score, earning comparisons to Alien and Slither

Who doesn't love a giant arachnid?

Horror’s latest spider-themed movie has landed and it’s getting rave reviews, with fans calling it a must-watch for lovers of creature features.

Sting, which premiered in US theatres on April 12, has debuted to a rather impressive 70% on Rotten Tomatoes . Although some critics are calling it a run-of-the-mill spidey slasher, others say it has earned its place in the beloved horror sub-genre, as Meagan Navarro from Bloody Disgusting writes: "Thanks to [Alyla] Browne’s bold performance and an emphasis on practical creature effects, Sting works as an entertaining throwback creature feature."

Daniel Rester from Battle Royale With Cheese went as far as to liken the film to one of the best sci-fi movies ever: "Sting works best in its final thirty minutes when it starts to feel like Alien in an apartment building." Similarly, Aaron Peterson from The Hollywood Outsider compared it to James Gunn 's 2006 movie Slither , writing, "It is a wild, gory, taut, and fun monster mash of a film and one of the strongest of its kind in years."

However, for some critics, the film just didn't hit the mark, getting caught in a web of cliches so to speak, as Dais Johnston from Inverse said: "It’s a paint-by-numbers creature feature, but it goes over the lines in a distracting way." Simon Abrams from RogerEbert echoed, "The makers of Sting have obviously seen a lot of genre movies, but that cinephilia doesn’t translate."

Nevertheless, even though Sting probably isn't this generation's Arachnophobia, that doesn't make it any less of a horror movie, as Luke Y. Thompson from ComingSoon put it plainly: "Sting may be as predictable as any slasher movie, but delivers enough of the spider-goods to satisfy."

Directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, the arachnophobia-inducing movie follows a 12-year-old girl who has secretly been raising an unnervingly talented spider, only to discover that her once-loved pet is rapidly transforming into a giant flesh-eating monster. In an Evil Dead Rise -type situation, she and her family must fight for their survival in the apartment block against the eight-legged freak.

The cast includes Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell, Robyn Nevin, Noni Hazelhurst, Silvia Colloca, Danny Kim, and Jermaine Fowler.

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

Sting is out in theatres in the US right now, and hits cinemas on May 31 in the UK. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies , or keep up to date with upcoming horror movies healing your way in 2024 and beyond.

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for SFX and Total Film online. I have a Bachelors Degree in Media Production and Journalism and a Masters in Fashion Journalism from UAL. In the past I have written for local UK and US newspaper outlets such as the Portland Tribune and York Mix and worked in communications, before focusing on film and entertainment writing. I am a HUGE horror fan and in 2022 I created my very own single issue feminist horror magazine.

Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell stars in trailer for Netflix movie with near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, and it’s now become one of my most-anticipated 2024 films

Zack Snyder says he hopes to make "four or six" Rebel Moon movies: "I guess it's whether or not we make one or two each time"

Transformers One trailer sees Chris Hemsworth’s Optimus Prime take off the training wheels as it debuts in literal outer space

Most Popular

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Netflix streaming
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

Civil War Link to Civil War
Monkey Man Link to Monkey Man
Scoop Link to Scoop

New TV Tonight

The Sympathizer: Season 1
Under the Bridge: Season 1
Conan O'Brien Must Go: Season 1
Our Living World: Season 1
The Spiderwick Chronicles: Season 1
Orlando Bloom: To the Edge: Season 1
The Circle: Season 6
Dinner with the Parents: Season 1
Jane: Season 2

Little Darlings: The Movie Reviews

No All Critics reviews for Little Darlings: The Movie.

Screen Rant

Henry cavill's ww2 action movie redeems argylle's 33% rotten tomatoes flop.

The Rotten Tomatoes score for Henry Cavill’s new World War 2 action movie is here, and it handily beats the score for his 33% spy flop, Argylle.

Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Reviews Mostly Praise Alan Ritchson & Henry Cavill WWII Movie

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare debuts to a solid 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film is poised to serve as a critical redemption for Henry Cavill after Argylle earlier this year.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 's opening weekend box office predictions suggest the film might end up underwhelming at the box office.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes, and the score marks a significant improvement for Henry Cavill after Argylle . Cavill leads the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare cast as Gus March-Phillipps, a real-life figure who commands Britain's first black ops team during World War II. The film, which is directed by Guy Ritchie, marks Cavill's second film this year after Argylle , an action comedy from Matthew Vaughn that flopped in theaters.

Ahead of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 's release date , the film has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a respectable score of 81% with 31 reviews , as of this writing. This score will likely fluctuate as more reviews are added, but the film is already beating the 33% score that Argylle earned. The new Ritchie film won't have an audience score until it releases in theaters, but if it wants to beat Argylle , it will have to earn higher than 72% with general movie-goers.

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Is Continuing A Bizarre 5-Year Guy Ritchie Streak

Will the ministry of ungentlemanly warfare beat argylle at the box office, why the guy ritchie movie could face an uphill battle.

Argylle was a major failure earlier this year, making only $95.5 million worldwide on a budget of a whopping $200 million, despite a star-studded cast. The Argylle reviews were fairly abysmal, however, and the film's poor quality is likely a large reason why it underperformed. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare reviews are generally positive, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will claim victory at the box office.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare also stars Alan Ritchson, Henry Golding, Alex Pettyfer, Cary Elwes, and Eisa Gonzáles, among others.

One major factor working in favor of Cavill's new film is that, according to a report from Variety , it carries a budget of around $60 million. This means its break-even point will be somewhere around $120 million. The bad news, however, is that this same Variety report states that the film is projected to bring in between $5 million and $6 million in its opening weekend, though some figures reach as high as $8 million. If this ends up being the case, the film is poised to be another commercial disappointment for both Cavill and Ritchie .

The last theatrically-released movie that Cavill starred in that was a box office hit was 2018's Mission: Impossible – Fallout , though obviously Tom Cruise is the real star there. Prior to that, the actor's biggest box office hits were 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2013's Man of Steel . Ritchie, too, has struggled at the box office recently, with both Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre and The Covenant both significantly underperforming last year. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , then, could end up continuing an unfortunate trend for both figures.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a World War II film following a top-secret combat unit who were formed by Winston Churchill to hunt down Nazis. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops by Damien Lewis.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

No can accuse actress Pollyanna McIntosh (best known to many of you from her work of “The Walking Dead”) of not being ambitious with her directorial debut, “Darlin'.” Here is a film that is simultaneously trying to be a gory horror shocker, a pitch-black (with many splashes of red) comedy, an angry piece of social commentary, a thoughtful coming-of-age drama and a sequel to a film with a small but devoted cult following. This would be a tall order for even an experienced filmmaker to pull off successfully, and it's not surprising it never quite manages to pull the various elements and tones together into a satisfying whole. And yet, while it does not really work—at least not enough to warrant a full recommendation—"Darlin'" is one of those films where some of the stuff that did work was good enough to inspire me to hold out hope practically right up to the closing moments that it would all somehow all pay off in the end.

The film is a sequel to “The Woman,” a controversial 2011 collaboration between Lucky McKee (who made the modern horror classic “ May ”) and the late cult author Jack Ketchum that told the story of a feral woman (played by McIntosh) who is discovered in the woods by a sadistic lawyer who locks her up in his basement and sets about “civilizing” her with the help of his family—suffice it to say, it does not go well for them. Set several years later, “Darlin” opens with The Woman dropping off her equally feral teenaged companion Darlin’ ( Lauryn Canny ) at a Catholic hospital before disappearing back into the night. Although her wildness upon her arrival forces her to be sedated, she eventually calms down, gets cleaned up and, despite being unable to speak, befriends a gay nurse ( Cooper Andrews ) who feels sympathy for her and no small amount of contempt for the people running the hospital.

Speaking of, Darlin’s case attracts the attention of the Bishop ( Bryan Batt ), whose parish is in danger of being shut down for financial reasons. He hits upon the brilliant idea of taking Darlin’ from the hospital and putting her into a care facility where she will be transformed from a snarling beast into a prototypical good girl under the supervision of Sister Jennifer ( Nora-Jane Noone ) with all of it captured for posterity on video in order to help spur fundraising efforts. Although Sister Jennifer—a one-time reclamation project of the Bishop herself—is kind enough to Darlin’, it soon transpires that the Bishop has a couple of horrible secrets that he is maintaining behind his facade of righteousness. Then again, it turns out that Darlin’ has a couple of secrets of her own that are about to be revealed. One of them, of course, is The Woman, who has been searching for Darlin’ ever since she left the hospital and is perfectly willing to slaughter anyone who interferes with that hoped-for reunion.

As “Darlin’” goes on, it ping-pongs back and forth between moments of gruesome horror (gorehounds will no doubt be pleased with the carnage on display), off-beat humor ranging from the darkly satiric to the cheerfully goofy, sweetness involving Darlin’ and her friendship with her rebellious fellow student ( Maddie Nichols ) and great anger aimed directly at the Church and the myriad ways in which it has hurt the very people it is supposed to help. (It cannot be mere coincidence that one of the nuns is played by Noone, who previously appeared in the brutal “ The Magdalene Sisters .”) The problem is not that the film keeps shifting tones throughout so much as the fact that it doesn’t quite know how to pull them off. A number of the scenes work as individual moments but McIntosh, who also wrote the screenplay, has not found the line that would bring them all together. As a result, the film, while well-made on a technical level, feels more like a collection of moments than instead of a satisfying narrative.

Not all of these moments work even on an individual level either. The stuff involving the depravations of the Bishop may have been conceived with the upmost sincerity and righteous fury but they have been executed with all the subtlety of a kick to the head. His character is presented here in such a cartoonishly evil manner that if the finale had found him attempting to tie Darlin’ to the nearest railroad tracks, it would not have seemed entirely out of character. There is also a group of homeless women that The Woman falls in with on her search for Darlin’ that are introduced with great fanfare and brought along for the big finale but who never actually do much of anything, certainly not enough to warrant their presence. These scenes are bad enough on their own but they become especially frustrating when they steal focus from what does actually work.

I have seen “Darlin’” twice now and I oddly found that I liked it a little better the second time around. Perhaps this is because I knew by that point that it was a mess from a tonal perspective and I could focus my attention more on the stuff that I did like about it. The performance by Lauryn Canny as Darlin’ is fascinating to watch as she moves from feral to vulnerable without ever letting you forget the danger that she represents no matter how “civilized” she may now appear. I also liked the supporting performances from Noone, Nichols and Andrews as the new people in Darlin’s life who genuinely seem to care for her. There are some big laughs scattered throughout as well as a few nasty enough to make you think twice about hitting the concession stand. I came away from a second viewing of “Darlin’” convinced that Polly McIntosh does indeed have what it takes to one day make a solidly entertaining and dramatically satisfying film, even if she hasn’t quite done that here.

Peter Sobczynski

A moderately insightful critic, full-on Swiftie and all-around bon vivant , Peter Sobczynski, in addition to his work at this site, is also a contributor to The Spool and can be heard weekly discussing new Blu-Ray releases on the Movie Madness podcast on the Now Playing network.

Now playing

Food, Inc. 2

Glenn kenny.

It's Only Life After All

Sheila o'malley.

Brian Tallerico

Under the Bridge

Cristina escobar.

The Long Game

Film credits.

Darlin' (2019)

101 minutes

Lauryn Canny as Darlin’

Bryan Batt as The Bishop

Cooper Andrews as Tony

Pollyanna McIntosh as The Woman

Mackenzie Graham as Bug

Maddie Nichols as Billy

Charlie Talbert as John

Eugenie Bondurant as Mona

Pollyanna McIntosh

Writer (based on characters created by)

Lucky McKee
Jack Ketchum

Cinematographer

Halyna Hutchins
Julie Garces

Latest blog posts

The Overlook Film Festival Highlights, Part 2: The Hands of Orlac, Kill Your Lover, Dead Mail, Red Rooms

Why Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Remains Unforgettable

A New Skin: Losing Control of Your Body in the 2020s

Ebertfest 2024 Announces Full Lineup, With Guests Including Eric Roberts, Mariel Hemingway, Larry Karaszewski, and More

Tickets & Showtimes
Trending on RT

TV & Streaming Shows
Godzilla & Kong
100 Years, 100 Movies
Best & Popular

Weekend Box Office

Weekend box office results: civil war earns highest opening weekend for a24, alex garland's unsettling thriller dethrones godzilla x kong , but can it surpass everything everywhere all at once as a24's highest-grossing film overall.

TAGGED AS: Box Office , movies , news

Going to movie theaters bring people together. They can also polarize them after leaving, depending on what they saw. So what better movie to offer the best of both worlds than the new film from Alex Garland? Because no one has ever been polarized in their thinking after watching Annihilation or Men . By next weekend, his latest film will have outgrossed all of his previous films, but moviegoers may be more divided than ever.

King of the Crop: Civil War Earns Highest Opening Weekend for A24

We kid, of course, to play into the rhetoric around Garland’s Civil War . The film’s initial high Tomatometer score from SXSW has come back to Earth a little, but the majority of critics are still very much in favor of it, as evidenced by its Certified Fresh status. Audiences are a little less enthralled but still overall satisfied with 77% Audience Score, but a “B-“ from the Cinemascore crowd, the first grade of its kind for 2024 and the first since Ridley Scott’s film about a tyrannical leader named Napoleon . Still, folks spent $25.7 million to give A24 its highest opening weekend ever, a record previously held by Ari Aster’s Hereditary ($13.5 million). Already, Civil War is the ninth highest-grossing film in the company’s history, and by the end of next weekend, it should be at least sixth and on its way to becoming its second. Or could it be A24’s No. 1?

Gross is one thing, but with a $50 million budget (and possibly higher), it’s going to take some other countries delighting in America destroying itself for this film to prove profitable. It would also take some incredible word of mouth for Civil War to stretch towards overcoming the $77+ million of Oscar-winning Everything Everywhere All At Once . But it is not unheard of for an April film with an opening like this to achieve that goal.

Mel Gibson’s We Were Soldiers did it back in 2002 with just a $20 million opening. The Christian music film I Can Only Imagine did it with a $23 million start. If these two groups can just get together, there’s no telling what can be achieved. Then again, that “B-“ grade looms over it. But looking at last year’s grades of its ilk, horror films including The Boogeyman , Thanksgiving , Cocaine Bear , and Meg 2: The Trench all had multiples over 2.75 (while The Pope’s Exorcist , Renfield , and Last Voyage of the Demeter were all under 2.23), so maybe horror of all types sell, as someone once told me — even if that hasn’t been the case in 2024 so much with Night Swim , Imaginary , and The First Omen . Civil War has a little old-fashioned war to deal with next weekend, along with some fresh horror, but the calendar is also pretty light until we get into May and should allow the discourse to maybe drive a little curiosity until then.

The Top 10 and Beyond: Godzilla x Kong Slips, Monkey Man and The First Omen Drop

After two weeks at the top, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire falls back to second place with $15.4 million. That brings its 17-day total to $157.9 million, which is not far away from displacing Kong: Skull Island to become the second highest-grossing film in the Warner Bros. MonsterVerse. Does it have a shot at 2014’s Godzilla ? That would mean getting over $200 million, and that could be close. Its third weekend is in the vicinity of John Wick: Chapter 4 ($14.4 million) but is also $10 million ahead of its overall pace. That suggests a final gross possibly right below $200 million. It is going to want to stay above $8 million in its fourth weekend to keep that pace going. Warner Bros. would certainly love to achieve that, but with over $400 million worldwide, the film is already a success and should ensure another entry. Speaking of which, the studio’s Dune: Part Two added another $4.3 million and is now up to $272 million domestic and $673 million worldwide.

In third place with just $5.9 million is the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in its fourth weekend. The film is at $96.9 million and inching its way towards $100 million. That’s a better fourth frame than either 10,000 B.C. or A Wrinkle in Time ($4.8 million each), suggesting it could still have a chance at getting over $110 million. It would at least like to stretch over $112.4 million to pass Ghostbusters II to avoid having the lowest-grossing domestic haul of the franchise. (Of course, with inflation, that sequel would have made about $283 million.) But it is going to have the lowest worldwide haul by a lot. With still less than $150 million, it is almost certain to become the first to not gross over $200 million worldwide.

Universal’s Kung Fu Panda 4 fell just 29% to $5.5 million. That brings its total to $173.6 million. The animated film is also over $425 million worldwide and could be the first in the franchise not to reach half-a-billion. But by carrying a lower price tag ($85 million) than the other three films, it is currently the most profitable film of 2024 so far. The studio’s pickup of Dev Patel’s Monkey Man isn’t doing as well, though, falling nearly 60% down to $4.1 million in its second weekend. That’s $17.7 million in the bank for that film. Universal also re-released Dreamworks’ Shrek 2 in 1,512 theaters this weekend and it grossed $1.35 million.

In horror news, 20th Century Studios’ prequel The First Omen made $3.7 million over the weekend, bringing its total to $14.6 million. The $30 million budgeted film continues a losing streak for the Disney-acquired company since the massive profits of Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022-23. Alien: Romulus is up next for them in August. The first of two giant spider films debuting this month, Sting , grossed $487,000 in 750 theaters. Arcadian , the Quiet Place -like apocalyptic monster film briefly featuring Nicolas Cage, was in 1,100 theaters and grossed $481,100.

The period high school golf film starring Dennis Quaid and Jay Hernandez, The Long Game , premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival but opened in limited release this past weekend, earning $1.39 million. Trafalgar Releasing put out the concert film by Suga (aka Agust D) of BTS and it grossed $961,015 last Wednesday in 784 theaters. SUGA: Agust D TOUR D-DAY THE MOVIE played again on Sunday and made another estimated $990,881, which was enough in one day to sneak into the top 10 this week.

Last year’s top 10 romance, Someone Like You , fell off the list this week with $849,000. It has grossed $4.8 million. Also falling out just behind it is Mark Wahlberg and the dog, Arthur the King , grossing $840,000 for a total of $23.5 million. Focus’ Housekeeping for Beginners from director Goran Stolevski ( You Won’t Be Alone , Of An Age ) expanded into 75 theaters but grossed just $70,000. His previous films grossed $264,055 and $556,585, respectively. Bertrand Bonello’s The Beast with Lea Seydoux and George MacKay grossed $50,000 after expanding into 23 theaters. It will expand further next week. The best per-theater average of the week looks to go to the Zellner Bros.’ Sasquatch Sunset . The Bleecker Street released grossed an estimated $93,005 in 9 theaters for a $10,333 average. It will expand next weekend.

On the Vine: Abigail Fights The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Mentioned earlier its more horror and more war. The child vampire home invasion film Abigail from the duo known as Radio Silence ( Ready or Not , Scream 5 and 6 ) is the one to likely bet on for next weekend. Horror fans have been stingy this year, but maybe this is the one they will sink their teeth into. Then, another year, another Guy Ritchie film. This time The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare with Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson tells a real-life Inglourious Basterds -like tale of British soldiers recruited to kill Nazis during WWII. Hugo Stiglitz is even in it and is hoping it could supplant Civil War for a second place finish.

Full List of Box Office Results: April 12-14, 2024

$25.7 million ($25.7 million total)

$15.4 million ($157.9 million total)
$5.8 million ($96.9 million total)

$5.5 million ($173.6 million total)
$4.3 million ($272.1 million total)
$4.1 million ($17.7 million total)
$3.7 million ($14.6 million total)
$1.39 million ($1.39 million total)
$1.35 million ($1.35 million total)

$990,881 ($2.2 million total)

Erik Childress can be heard each week evaluating box office on Business First AM with Angela Miles and his Movie Madness Podcast .

[box office figures via Box Office Mojo ]

On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News .

Related News

Immaculate Director Michael Mohan’s Five Favorite Horror Films

20 Special Presentations and Guest Appearances to Check Out at the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival

30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming

More Weekend Box Office

Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year

Weekend Box Office Results: Godzilla x Kong Holds Strong

Weekend Box Office Results: Godzilla x Kong Scores Monster Debut

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

MGM: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies

April 17, 2024

April 16, 2024

Fallout : What to Expect in Season 2

April 15, 2024

Top Headlines

MGM: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies –
25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
Nicolas Cage Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer –
Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch –
Best TV Shows of 2024: Best New Series to Watch Now –

Netflix's Chilling New Series Debuts With Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

Netflix has found a new hit with the recent release of the limited series Baby Reindeer . Days after dropping on the streaming platform, the series continues to hold a perfect score of 100% at the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes . The audience score is also quite high at 88% .

Baby Reindeer is a thriller series created by Richard Gadd, based on his stage play of the same name. Gadd stars in the series alongside Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau, while Weronika Tofilska directed. Inspired by true events, Baby Reindeer features Gadd starring as a struggling comedian who's targeted by an obsessed stalker . It's harrowing and keeping the critics hooked from start to finish throughout all seven episodes, based on the reviews.

Panned M. Night Shyamalan Sequel Becomes Netflix Hit Five Years Later

Richard Gadd confronts and processes his real-life trauma in a brave, moving, and often disturbing watch that's rooted in comedy, yet the tears you'll shed won't be tears of joy or laughter," Empire critic David Opie said in a review, giving Baby Reindeer a perfect score of 5 out of 5.

Appreciating how the series tells a complete, satisfying story, Ready Steady Cut reviewer Daniel Hart noted, " Baby Reindeer is a limited series for all the right reasons. It serves its purpose by the finale. It provokes its viewers. It catches you off guard by mixing comedy with overwhelming darkness. It’s a hidden gem and a shiny one at that."

3 Body Problem Holds on to No. 1 Spot on Netflix Despite Massive Viewership Drop

Though partly a thriller, Baby Reindeer is also injected with humor. Gadd has spoken about the blend of drama and comedy in the series, comparing it to reality, as he will often find humor in the darkest places. That lent itself perfectly to putting together the story for Baby Reindeer .

“I think life is a comedy-drama,” Gadd, who also wrote the series, told Netflix . “Some of the darkest places I’ve been in, I’ve found giggles somehow. And some of the funniest places I’ve been in, including backstage at comedy clubs with other comedians, can be the most depressing places as well. I always think life is a mixture of light and shade. So I wanted Baby Reindeer to be a blend of them both.”

A True Story Inspired Baby Reindeer

On using his own real-life experience of getting stalked as inspiration for creating this story, Gadd continued, "In a weird way, I first started feeling like this could be a good story during the whole ordeal itself. It was one of the most intense periods, when I was listening to these voicemails. I’d go to sleep at night and these voicemails — her words would bounce around my eyelids. I remember thinking, ‘God, if I was ever to speak about this onstage, I’d fire the words around. Put the voicemails in a big cacophony and fire it.’ That’s how the play was born.”

Baby Reindeer is streaming on Netflix.