The combination of lightness and strictness in this instance gives Italian for Beginners an amiable aimlessness that keeps it from seeming predictably formulaic.
– Andrew Sarris,
New York Observer,
13 Mar 2002
fresh:
[Scherfig] has made a movie that will leave you wondering about the characters' lives after the clever credits roll.
– Roger Moore,
Orlando Sentinel,
28 Mar 2002
fresh:
A rarity: a humane picture about modern romance among believable adults.
– Michael Wilmington,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jul 2002
fresh:
An engaging Danish movie that rises from the ashes of loneliness and despair to spread feelings of happiness across the screen.
– Robert Denerstein,
Denver Rocky Mountain News,
9 Aug 2002
rotten:
Scherfig, who has had a successful career in TV, tackles more than she can handle.