Most critics like True Romance, and the praise falls on the same two people. Tarantino’s script is credited with the dialogue and the parade of vivid small parts; Tony Scott is credited with the gloss and pace that keep it moving. Nearly every review names the supporting cast, and the confrontation between Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken comes up more often than any other scene. Several also find a sweetness under the violence that sets it apart from the crime films it resembles.
The reservations cluster on the plotting, which more than one critic calls preposterous, and on the violence. The spread is wide, and the coolest reviews are largely from 1993: Variety thinks the carnage limits its appeal, and the Los Angeles Times calls it a derivative dead end with no romance in it. Eye for Film calls it a cliché-filled mess but still admires the supporting turns. Re-release reviews from 2015 onwards are warmer almost without exception.
G
The Guardian
22 November 2015
90*
The critic praises the re-release of this pulpy 1993 Tarantino-scripted romp directed by Tony Scott for its enduring freshness and visual sheen. The standout elements singled out are the memorable confrontation between Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken and the film's superiority to similar violent crime films of the era.
Read the full review →T
The Telegraph
20 January 2003 · Mark Blacklock
90*
The review highlights how director Tony Scott did justice to Quentin Tarantino's script about young lovers on the run with stolen cocaine, assembling a stellar cast including Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, and many memorable supporting turns. It singles out the Mexican stand-off finale and the happy ending as particularly effective.
Read the full review →T
The Times
20 November 2015 · Kate Muir
90*
The critic describes the film as powered by Tarantino's dirty, funny and violent genius, noting how it starts as an adorable meet-cute before swinging into carnage with vivid characters like Gary Oldman's pimp and Brad Pitt's stoner. It singles out the lurid, hilarious mix of violence and passion that has not dated.
Read the full review →T
Time Out
16 November 2015 · 5 out of 5 stars · Tom Huddleston
90*
The critic calls the film a modern classic and a giddy, glorious rocket-fuel romance. He singles out the close-to-flawless script and Tony Scott's direction for particular praise.
Read the full review →E
Empire
2 February 2006 · Rob Fraser
80*
Praises Tarantino's script for its vivid characters and dialogue, the stellar cast including standout performances, and Tony Scott's energetic direction that brings gloss and pace to the fantasy.
Read the full review →S
Slant Magazine
22 July 2022 · Budd Wilkins
80*
The sensibilities of Tarantino and Scott combine to make a cornerstone early-1990s film with strong character moments and a stacked cast. The review highlights the complex synergy between the writers and director along with the film's pop-culture richness.
Read the full review →R
Radio Times
4 out of 5 · Alan Jones
70*
The critic describes a fast-moving, acid cocktail of a film blending gangster clichés, film noir and ultra violence, with Scott's visual style as the icing on the cake. He highlights the great cameos and the memorable Hopper-Walken confrontation.
Read the full review →I
The Independent
16 October 1993
70*
The critic views True Romance as showcasing Tarantino's talent for cruel, mechanical farce, praising the off-beat moments and comic climax while noting the gory violence and genre juggling.
Read the full review →N
The New York Times
10 September 1993 · Janet Maslin
70*
The critic describes it as a vibrant, grisly, gleefully amoral road movie sure to offend many viewers but notes its consistency and surer sense of dark humor compared to similar films.
Read the full review →A
The AV Club
18 October 2002 · Noel Murray
60*
The film is witty and gut-wrenching with strong dialogue and plot but fails in style compared to Tarantino's own directorial work, coming across as vulgar. It is redeemed by many unforgettable moments and personal resonance despite its clumsiness.
Read the full review →V
Variety
27 August 1993 · Leonard Klady
50*
The critic praises the slick, violent and energetic style with amazing encounters, bravura acting and gruesome carnage but finds the preposterous plotting and graphic violence limit its appeal and commercial prospects.
Read the full review →L
Los Angeles Times
10 September 1993 · Kenneth Turan
30*
The review calls the film a derivative dead end that pushes familiar genre themes past absurdity, lacking originality and true romance or truthfulness, with tedious and cartoonish extremes.
Read the full review →D
Den of Geek
7 July 2009 · ★★★★★ · Simon Brew
100
The critic finds the film a lavishly entertaining ensemble piece that holds up remarkably well, crediting Tarantino's snappy dialogue and characters alongside Scott's assured direction and a sky-high cast including standout turns from Arquette, Oldman, Walken, Hopper and others.
Read the full review →P
Paste
11 September 2023 · Jesse Hassenger
90*
The critic praises Tony Scott for redeeming Tarantino's script by emphasizing the film's genuine sweetness and fairy-tale romance amid its violent, '90s excess. Scott's stylish direction and warm tone elevate the self-insert elements and standout scenes, making it a delightful, era-defining cult classic.
Read the full review →D
Digital Spy
20 November 2015 · Stella Papamichael
80*
The critic calls it a juvenile yet scattershot blast that remains cool, praising the boyish enthusiasm in Slater's performance and the way Scott handles the violence and romance with cartoonish charm rather than lingering on brutality.
Read the full review →C
Consequence
9 September 2018
70*
The critic calls the film a marvel of '90s action excess with a genuine sweetness at its core that sets it apart, carried by the leads' soulful performances and Zimmer's jaunty score. It is a delightful, hedonistic relic of its time, full of memorable sequences despite some dated elements.
Read the full review →E
Eye for Film
14 December 2006 · Scott Macdonald
35*
The critic calls the film a cliche-filled mess that prioritizes style over substance and hurries from one moment to the next. They single out the strong supporting performances, especially the scene with Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken, for praise amid the chaos.
Read the full review →Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate
