Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 99% based on 102 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Saint Frances approaches an array of weighty issues with empathy, humor, and grace -- and marks star and writer Kelly O'Sullivan as a tremendous talent to watch." [3] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 83 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "Universal Acclaim". [4]
Hau Chu of The Washington Post wrote "it's the push-and-pull between Bridget and Frances that is the poignant heart of the film...By the end, the authenticity of their bond feels so well-earned that you might not mind watching another movie about them growing up with each other." [5] Chu also praised Ramona Edith Williams' performance and noted that "Thompson and O'Sullivan bring sensitivity and an observant touch to the weighty proceedings" of unplanned pregnancy and abortion. [5] Sheila O'Malley of RogerEbert.com gave the film 3 and ½ out of 4 stars and commented, "It's truly refreshing to watch a film where nobody has anything figured out, where life proceeds messily and imperfectly. 'Saint Frances' is unpredictable in a very human way." [6] She also praised the realistic inclusion of women's bodies and its depiction of periods and breastfeeding, saying "this is all so much a regular part of a woman's life it's almost banal (in real life, anyway), and yet it's rarely dealt with in film, and certainly not as forthrightly as it is here". [5]
Writing for Variety, Peter Debruge said, "Saint Frances takes a stand in letting the character figure things out for herself, while illuminating those things — like pregnancy and her period — that she shouldn’t have to". [7] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Thompson's direction and O'Sullivan's screenplay are more often characterized by their light touch than their missteps in a likeable film elevated by its crisp, summery look and warm score". [8]
