53
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoThe film's unusual look lends a magical feeling.
- 70The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisPacks more sadness than the familiar fairy tale but offers its own fantastical delights. Ye Xian's party dress, made of teardrops, suits her -- and her story -- perfectly.
- 70Film ThreatPete Vonder HaarFilm ThreatPete Vonder HaarA sweetly engaging effort that manages a fair amount of charm and innocence in spite of the rather seedy surroundings.
- 67The A.V. ClubTasha RobinsonThe A.V. ClubTasha RobinsonTo some degree, it's trying to find the magic in the everyday, but the attempts to ground it are cringe-inducing and problematic.
- 60New York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanNew York Daily NewsElizabeth WeitzmanDavid Kaplan's sweet, if superficial, fairy tale won't change the world, but it makes nice use of its setting (Chinatown) and visual style (rotoscope animation).
- 60NPRBob MondelloNPRBob MondelloKaplan keeps the story breezy and brisk, and provides his down-to-earthily modern fairy tale with an appropriately other-worldly visual style.
- 50TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghTV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonaghHas a certain weird charm, but it's too seamy for children and too simplistic played for adults.
- 50San Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoSan Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoToo raw for kids and too simplistic for adults.
- 40VarietyVarietyThat the film is animated gives it an appropriately magical feel, but it can't save the story from being drowned in devices and stereotype.
- 20Village VoiceVillage VoiceYear of the Fish is the kind of really bad movie it takes a lot of misplaced conviction to make.