Chicago Tribune

It's a refreshing spin on this type of film that's usually quite white and heteronormative.

A review by Katie Walsh for Chicago Tribune on 2020-07-29

The Observer (UK)

What a lovely, hopeful and rather magical movie this is.

A review by Mark Kermode for The Observer (UK) on 2020-08-06

Empire

Arterton triumphs again and Swale marks herself as a director to watch. Summerland successfully combines an intelligent feminist fable and a lesbian love story with a slick period tearjerker.

A review for Empire on 2020-07-28

The Associated Press

The charms of Summerland aren’t in its plot. They’re in the sentiment, which is too good-hearted to be cynical about, and the characters.

A review by Lindsey Bahr for The Associated Press on 2020-07-30

While much of what Swale has crafted here is familiar, the film’s loving tone and Arterton’s compelling performance recommend it, and the result is a warm drama never afraid of a little magic.

A review by Kate Erbland for /reviews/publisher:

Paste Magazine

Arterton’s at a peak in her career here, repurposing bits and pieces of her work in Their Finest for a film with much more intentional sentiment.

A review by Andrew Crump for Paste Magazine on 2020-07-30

Film Threat

My biggest frustration with Summerland is three major plotlines mixed like a tossed salad. Each plot is interesting to watch as well as engaging, but transitions from one to the next can clash with the good feelings generated by the previous.

A review by Alan Ng for Film Threat on 2020-07-30

The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

Summerland may not be the greatest show on Earth, but it is firmly Arterton’s show – and deserves more attention than most anyone on these shores will likely give it.

A review by Barry Hertz for The Globe and Mail (Toronto) on 2020-08-19

ReelViews

For what it is, Summerland is solidly made, but don’t expect anything extraordinary from the production.

A review by James Berardinelli for ReelViews on 2020-07-31

Boston Globe

Spectacular locations on the southeast coast of England and a handful of fine performances are the best that can be said for Summerland, but that’s still better than most.

A review by Ty Burr for Boston Globe on 2020-07-29

Add to this a “What Are The Odds?” plot twist that’s so preposterous it’s practically offensive and you have a movie that seems fit to go off the rails. And yet. Arterton, Mbatha-Raw, and the child actors — Lucas Bond as Frank and Dixie Egerickx as his school chum Edie — bring such commitment and integrity to their characterizations that one is inclined not just to hang in there but to root for them all.

A review by Glenn Kenny for /reviews/publisher:

Screen Rant

Between its familiar premise and genuine performances, Summerland is occasionally hindered by melodrama, but is overall a very sweet film.

A review for Screen Rant on 2020-07-28

Strong on lush cinematography, period knitwear and sincerity, but less effective in terms of historical plausibility, the mostly second world war-set drama Summerland is a mixed bag – a blend of fizzy sherbet lemons and humbug.

A review by Leslie Felperin for /reviews/publisher:

Wall Street Journal

Ms. Arterton gets to play a few scenes worthy of her art before the film turns into a milking machine designed to wring feelings from a link between past and present that, once again, amounts to a construct.

A review by Joe Morgenstern for Wall Street Journal on 2020-07-30

San Francisco Chronicle

The main appeal of Summerland, a considerable one, is that it allows Gemma Arterton to hold the screen for a nearly unbroken 90 minutes. It showcases her in a variety of modes and moods and provide some huge acting moments that make us recognize that, somewhere along the line, Arterton has become a powerhouse.

A review by Mick LaSalle for San Francisco Chronicle on 2020-07-29

Rolling Stone

A sweet, soft-centered pastoral drama that’s never as tough-minded as you want it to be. Thankfully, in her feature debut as a filmmaker, playwright Jessica Swale shows a genuine flair with actors.

A review by Peter Travers for Rolling Stone on 2020-07-29

The A.V. Club

The above-average cast of adult and child actors has its charming moments, but once the plot enters the tearjerker cliché phase, it becomes clear that what we are being offered is a nostalgia that’s no different from the kind that extolls more conservative values. It’s less a new coat of paint than a varnish.

A review by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky for The A.V. Club on 2020-07-28

Variety

Summerland is very pretty, and bursts with affection for its gently befuddled characters, but for all its eager charms, streaming like colored pennants from every turret, it’s a castle in the air.

A review by Jessica Kiang for Variety on 2020-07-27

The Hollywood Reporter

As capable as the actors are, I can't say I cared much about any of the characters, which made the emotionally uplifting climax feel underpowered. The scope for which this handsome but bland film strives so hard is present mainly in the wide-open spaces of its picturesque locations.

A review by David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter on 2020-07-27

It’s not period detail that lets Summerland down. It’s not moving beyond the story’s naturally watchable qualities (cast, setting, period) to give us a film that ever feels it doesn’t need one contrived situation after another just to stagger to its feet. Not that it ever moves those feet once it does, mind you.

A review by Roger Moore for /reviews/publisher:

The New York Times

A thumb to suck in troubled times, Summerland offers a digit of nostalgia that many viewers will latch onto with something approaching relief.

A review by Jeannette Catsoulis for The New York Times on 2020-07-30

Slant Magazine

Throughout, the film’s characters exhibit little life outside of their moments of tragedy and symbolic connections.

A review by Jake Cole for Slant Magazine on 2020-07-27