88 Charlotte Observer | Lawrence Toppman I have never seen elementary schoolers more passionate about education than the ones I met at a school in rural Kenya, not far from the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. Read full review
80 The Hollywood Reporter | Chadwick strikes a perfect balance between humor and tragic gravity, and the result is that an unknown story seems certain to stir the hearts of audiences worldwide. Read full review
75 The Globe and Mail (Toronto) | Rick Groen This is potentially compelling, but truncated flashbacks are far too crude a mechanism for exploring not only the intricacies of that tumultuous period in Kenyan history but also its ongoing legacy. Read full review
75 San Francisco Chronicle | Amy Biancolli For all of its brutal flashbacks and heavy-handed devices, The First Grader works best when it works quietly. Read full review