Almodovar consolidated his status as a challenging and bold filmmaker by forcing Americans to drop their zany preconceptions of him and see his world through his eyes.
80
Variety
Variety
Almodovar's inventive direction, superb lensing by Jose Luis Alcaine, a fine score by Ennio Morricone and top technical credits make pic a pleasure to watch.
80
Los Angeles TimesPeter Rainer
Los Angeles TimesPeter Rainer
There's a hushed, rapturous quality to its best parts, though, and the emotional interplay between Ricky and Marina has a scary immediacy that the movies rarely achieve. Almodovar dares a lot in this film. [4 May 1990]
67
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! is seamlessly crafted yet too self-conscious to be much fun.
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The movie is too flighty and uncentered, and it allows actual violence to break the spell when false alarms would have sufficed.
63
TV Guide Magazine
TV Guide Magazine
Staying with Tie Me Up! demands some patience, but the director's timing never fails him, and he brings things to a close on an upbeat note.
60
The New York TimesVincent Canby
The New York TimesVincent Canby
Mr. Almodovar's comic invention runs out too soon, leaving the audience to giggle weakly in anticipation of the big laughs and disorienting shocks that never arrive.
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jay Scott
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jay Scott
In terms of psychology, it's an abysmal failure, too real to be symbolic, too symbolic to be realistic. [25 May 1990]
50
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
It's a movie that's too naive to be pornography and too callous to be art. [25 May 1990]
10
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
An offensive premise and a pathetic, almost pleading desire to outrage our sensibilities with it.