74
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittSubtle filmmaking and true-as-life acting make this an acute psychological drama with an engrossing sociological subtext. It stands with Doillon's best work.
- 90The Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttThe Hollywood ReporterKirk HoneycuttDoillon never lets his characters slide into cliche. They act and react from a wealth of contradictory impulses and long-standing prejudices in this masterful tale of frustrated desire.
- 80VarietyDavid StrattonVarietyDavid StrattonIntriguing, provocative and very well acted.
- 80The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenWhat distinguishes Raja from every other movie to contemplate the treacherous intersection of passion, avarice and power is its unsettling emotional honesty. The two central performances are so spontaneous and mercurial that the reckless flirtation seems to be unfolding before your eyes.
- 80The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasEven without all the other complications, Doillon's handling of the language gap alone gives Raja a pungent dramatic edge.
- 70Village VoiceJ. HobermanVillage VoiceJ. HobermanIt plays out as an unsettling solipsistic love story--an account of erotic obsession with a family relation to "Of Human Bondage."
- 70TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghWhat begins as a sorry exercise in cynical seduction becomes a case of amour fou.
- 63New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanThere's little to enjoy in this unsettling tale, but Doillan's unblinking depiction of manipulation and desperation stays with you long after the characters make the deals that seal their unjust fates.
- 50New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickRaja, which is basically a dark comedy about how this odd couple manipulate each other, is extremely well acted, though the direction by Jacques Doillon is on the leisurely side.