72
Metascore
30 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 85SlashfilmShania RussellSlashfilmShania RussellArmed with mythology and its evocative atmosphere, Nikyatu Jusu's directorial debut revels in slow-simmering horror, haunting with its shadows.
- Her feature debut nods to Ousmane Sembène’s seminal Black Girl while distilling the trials her parents, immigrants from Sierra Leone, endured as Jusu grew up in Atlanta—a mix of domestic drama and frightening images to make us fellow outsiders in a suffocatingly insular world.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterJourdain SearlesThe Hollywood ReporterJourdain SearlesWith Nanny, Jusu crafts a contemplative, thematically rich story that deftly explores the emotional and spiritual costs of leaving your homeland behind for an uncertain future in a strange land.
- 75Slant MagazineKeith WatsonSlant MagazineKeith WatsonWriter-director Nikyatu Jusu’s film ultimately proposes that survival is the greatest form of resistance.
- 70Screen DailyAllan HunterScreen DailyAllan HunterThe combination of sensitively handled character drama and slow-burning horror genre tropes builds into an intriguing tale of survival and empowerment with a standout central performance from Anna Diop. ... But the supernatural element almost feels like a distraction or one ingredient too many for the film to incorporate.
- 70VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeJusu meticulously calibrates the interactions between her characters, revealing a nuanced understanding of race and class relations.
- 70Film ThreatHanna B.Film ThreatHanna B.This touching film will undoubtedly make you sympathize with its protagonist, wonderfully interpreted with gentle poise and nuance by Diop.
- 67IndieWireKate ErblandIndieWireKate ErblandThe first-time filmmaker may be attempting to fit too many ideas into one sleek package, but that doesn’t mitigate the truth of "Nanny": All of it haunts.
- 58The PlaylistJason BaileyThe PlaylistJason Bailey"Nanny" feels less like a misfire than a missed opportunity. Those early scenes are so tightly wound and so beautifully played that by the time Jusu trots out the blood and knives and bathtubs, I wasn’t even sure what movie I was watching anymore.
- 40The GuardianThe GuardianNanny, as a whole, packs a rather toothless punch. It feels loosely assembled – chock-full of original ideas, intriguing imagery and plot devices, many of which either oddly wind up as loose ends or get resolved in a hurry.