56
Metascore
8 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Washington PostRita KempleyWashington PostRita KempleyMichael Apted (who was due for a hit film) directed this fiery film, brilliantly layered scene-on-scene without a wasted frame. The odd camera angles presage the evil that will infect the happy home and put us on an eye-level with the boys whose spats gradually disappear as the two come to rely on each other. [26 Oct 1984, p.21]
- 70The New York TimesJanet MaslinThe New York TimesJanet MaslinIt is to the credit of Mr. Apted, and to a cast including some very believable young actors, that Firstborn moves swiftly and smoothly enough to dispel much nitpicking about plot points, at least for a time.
- 63Miami HeraldMiami HeraldDespite its weaknesses, Firstborn is a movie that deals sensitively with the emotional trials of single-parent families. And it is one of the few that treats adolescents with respect. This film is a must-see for parents and teen-agers and could provoke a long, long talk. [26 Oct 1984, p.C1]
- 50Washington PostPaul AttanasioWashington PostPaul AttanasioDirector Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter) settles for a movie of pat moralism, a pamphleteer's parable of how drugs destroy families.
- 50Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertThe movie creates such an urgent situation, and fills it with such interesting characters, that when everything goes wrong at the end I felt more than disappointed, I felt cheated.
- 50TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazineThis flawed but interesting Freudian melodrama spends about 70 minutes making points and the last 30 minutes losing them.
- 50The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jay ScottThe Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jay ScottThe first half of Firstborn is a first-rate domestic melodrama, faultlessly acted by all concerned, though you may wonder if the interactions would not have been a bit more compelling had the invading force been a bit less obviously, obnoxiously evil. The second half goes over the edge into a Hollywood hell. [26 Oct 1984]