Underseen but not exactly neglected, Mala Noche isn't in the same league as the recent smash IFC revival of Killer of Sheep. But this small, sensitive, wondrously likable debut occupies a nearby nook in the DIY pantheon.
– Nathan Lee,
Village Voice,
29 May 2007
fresh:
Van Sant would later refine some of the blunter stylistic turns into a wondrous visual poetry; his ability to capture the addictive pull of desire, however, remains compelling even in its crudest state.
– Melissa Anderson,
Time Out New York,
2 Jun 2007
fresh:
Of all Van Sant's movies, Mala Noche is the rawest, most personal, and least freighted. It's the one fans should see for the simplest inkling into Van Sant's complex artistic roots.
– Wesley Morris,
Boston Globe,
15 Jun 2007
fresh:
Even at the start of his career, Van Sant has always been an artist who has savored the bittersweet pleasure of sadness and pain.