Grace Is Gone

The Onion (A.V. Club) Tasha Robinson

Attempts to address grief frankly, gently, and without didacticism, and it largely succeeds.

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Mr. Cusack demonstrates once again that he is Hollywood’s second-most-reliable nice guy, after Tom Hanks. Devoid of vanity, with no hidden agendas, he never strains to be likable. Good will, integrity and a native common sense ooze out of him.

Premiere Glenn Kenny

A picture about tragedy in one American family's life, and it's a convincing and humane one.

USA Today Claudia Puig

As subtle and shattering as its title.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Simplicity -- four-square, not sappy -- is rare in film. James C. Strouse had it in his script for Lonesome Jim. As writer and first-time director, he gives Grace Is Gonethe quiet power to sneak up and floor you.

ReelViews James Berardinelli

With a minimalist plot, Grace Is Gone turns its primary focus on John Cusack, giving the actor an opportunity to display both his talent and his range.

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

It’s a close call, but Grace is Gone is worth seeing for the way John Cusack works with Shelan O’Keefe and Gracie Bednarczyk, two of the least affected and most affecting young actors to hit the screen this year.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Not a great movie, simply functional, but Cusack gives a great performance. The film somehow doesn't live up to his work.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Crust

An emotionally rich and satisfying drama featuring a terrifically understated performance from John Cusack.

Film Threat Jeremy Mathews

A film that depends entirely on whether you feel empathy for its characters.

Variety Todd McCarthy

Although clearly coming from an antiwar perspective, the story's emotional effectiveness and family grounding give the film a real shot at connecting with general audiences across the political spectrum.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

The most noteworthy thing about the Iraq war home-front drama, Grace Is Gone, is that Clint Eastwood composed its musical score and title song, which have both been garnering all sorts of accolades, including dual Golden Globe nominations.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Bednarczyk's natural instincts put most programmed Hollywood moppets to shame, and the quietly affecting O'Keefe shows genuine talent.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

A disappointing and manipulative look at one family's loss in the Iraq war.

Chicago Reader J.R. Jones

His (John Cusack) quickness and intelligence make him a poor choice to play the flat-footed main character, a rigidly conservative family man who can't work up the nerve to tell his two daughters their soldier mother has been killed in action.

Village Voice Scott Foundas

The music--a gently jazzy piano-and-strings theme--is just fine, and a good deal less cloying than what was there before. One can only regret that Eastwood didn't offer to reshoot the whole movie while he was at it.

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

Grace Is Gone grabs on to a name, a war, and the metaphor-come-to-life of a theme park with rides going nowhere. And we, the people, are spun around and shaken for tears.

New York Post Kyle Smith

A barbell of a movie that carries some weight at either end. What's in between is purely utilitarian, though.