Critics reviews

The emotions dredged up in this story are so exhilaratingly authentic that Only You becomes, in its own way, exceptionally romantic... In its unflinching and sustained examination of a very personal issue, [the film] stumbles on some universal truths about human relationships.

A seriously intelligent script... clever, hand-held camerawork, which succeeds in the unlikely task of making Glasgow parks and locations appear romantic... [and] near flawless acting from both Costa and O'Connor [make Only You] a grown-up film about the complexities of a grown-up relationship.

[Only You] sticks its landing, at that place where love becomes inseparable from hope, altogether beautifully... Wootliff, to her considerable credit, realises happiness is more often than not hard work - harder than our romcoms typically allow for - but also that we owe it to ourselves to put the hours in.

Wootliff’s script occasionally buckles under the psychological weight of the story, with one too many clichés sneaking through despite the originality of the concept... Nevertheless, Wootliff has crafted an emotionally rich debut which will leave you excited to see what comes next.

Here’s something special – a terrifically engrossing drama about two wholly believable characters, made with the kind of wit, honesty and raw emotional intimacy that pierces right to the heart of their relationship.

The characters’ freshness and the film’s attention to mood and atmosphere reveal plenty of talent in Wootliff... At times, though, her script seems to be working from a checklist of unhappy things that might happen to a couple trying IVF.

Wootliff's direction is both fully felt and forensic, alive to the rush of burgeoning love yet also alert to the limitations of infatuation and idealisation. The result overcomes a rather threadbare narrative in the late stretch to offer a distinct and grown-up love story, with its tough and tender elements held in fine balance.

[A] sensual, heartful and carefully observed drama... The beautifully streamlined screenplay is as economical as it is unexpectedly revelatory... [while] O’Connor and Catalan actor Costa share an easy and natural chemistry. They don’t blaze up the screen: they simmer and charm.

O’Connor has argued that Only You is “as important as I, Daniel Blake”. He’s right. Via Elena and Jake, Wootliff champions the marginal and so-called imperfect. All hail a lacerating romance that somehow gets us in the mood for love.

It’s dark material; deeply personal, apparently, to Wootliff... And it’s beautifully played by Costa and O’Connor... [who are] chemistry incarnate and can erase any formal lapses through the power of a stolen glance, a face flushed red or eyes that fill with tears. You will believe. You will be moved. You will not laugh.

An exceptional amount of fine detail and rigorous observation have gone into the making of Only You... But all the groundwork in the world wouldn’t be worth a jot if it weren’t for the two leads – Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor – delivering supremely relaxed and intuitive performances

Only You is a strong first feature from Harry Wootif that shows off [her] ability with filming actors, but it’s hampered by a generic screenplay that does no justice to [her] technique. If Josh O’Connor and Laia Costa aren’t already household names, their stunning performances here prove that they will be.