Critics reviews

The film doesn’t turn over new ground but nevertheless yields poignant moments, primarily in the interplay between Lange – a fierce lioness in winter, hungry for one more curtain call – and Bates, who could play this part in her sleep and still makes the most of it... [A] vehicle that might be light on horsepower but feels as polished as its central character.

[The Great Lillian Hall] isn’t some gothic medical soap opera in which [the lead] suddenly starts to forget who she is. Rather, it’s about how Lillian, saddled with this devastating diagnosis, makes a peace with where she’s going by taking stock of who she’s been.

It’s perhaps a little slight, and at times a little rustily directed, to linger for some, but Lange’s performance undoubtedly will, the role of a star delivering her swansong delivered by an actor who’s clearly far from it.

Elisabeth Seldes Annacone’s script gives Lange plenty to work with, and the actress... gives a rich performance that shows why she’s still at the top of her game.

Starring the great Jessica Lange in one of her best performances—and that's really saying something— "The Great Lillian Hall"... is essential viewing for those eager to see what acting can be at its transcendent, transfixing finest... [The film] is Lange's latest master class. Sit back and behold.

The strength here is that Lange never goes the easy route with this portrayal. She really imbues her with the sense of disbelief this could be happening to the great Lillian Hall, who seems to be a person not aware of life’s clock ticking.

The Great Lillian Hall is a lovely tribute to life in the theater, with all its personal compromises, and a showcase for Lange, who deftly shows the character as a vulnerable woman and also displays the distinct style of Lillian the bravura actress.