Not only is the salacious and sensationalist male gaze, which is often present in films of this nature, completely absent, but Shortland avoids going through the motions of delivering the obvious plot points to instead focus on the subjective experiences of the character. (blog.cinemaautopsy.com)
It treads familiar waters and doesn't offer anything new in story, but the characters are well - drawn, the narrative full of humor and depth, and the themes handled with a maturity that is absent in other films of this nature. (movieswithmae.com)
The producers should also be commended for hiring inexperienced young actors in the lead and supporting roles rather than the typical seasoned stars of the high school / frat pack genre, who you would normally associate with films of this nature, and they by and large acquit themselves rather well. (filmireland.net)