A film that gives us Olivia Munn’s career-best performance and explores gender politics and our inner voices, while offering a subjective experience that allows the viewer to decipher the film’s themes and messages.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 31, 2023

Screenwriting legend Robert McKee said “characters must change… and the change must come from within”. Violet is a rather literal interpretation of this rule but is ultimately an empowering tale of believing in oneself.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 12, 2022

Violet‘s editing is truly inspired, overlying hand-scribbled cursive thoughts across the screen that crowd around Munn, intercutting scenes of shattered glass, a moldering fox corpse, a boxing match as The Voice brutalizes her.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Sep 24, 2022

It all makes for an assured feature film debut that tackles its subject matter from a unique and fresh perspective. It doesn’t always come together as intended, but I love that Bateman took chances.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Aug 16, 2022

Focuses on too many things, letting steam out of the cooker. But its structural experiments are by far more thought-provoking than its stumbles, adding a layer of analysis: Why is the "inner voice" within us always masculine? [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jun 29, 2022

...at the helm of (the film's) success is Munn in a career-best performance.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Jun 27, 2022

Violet is a multilayered movie that effectively shows three psychological layers of an insecure person: the conscious mind, the subconscious mind, and how the person acts on any conflicts between the conscious and subconscious minds.

Full Review | Mar 8, 2022

In her taped introduction to Violet, actress-turned-filmmaker Justine Bateman describes it as an immersive experience, tantamount to putting on a coat. I would say it's slightly more akin to having a pillow on your face.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Mar 3, 2022

I can appreciate the innovative premise but not how it gets lost in its gimmickry and never gives us much of a story to get excited about.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jan 22, 2022

Writer/director Justine Bateman's feature debut draws audiences into Violet's insecurities in a manner that is very surreal and vivid.

Full Review | Dec 12, 2021

Justine Bateman has an auspicious directorial debut in this moving movie about mental health.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 24, 2021

...the effort is appreciated, but the execution is muddled, at best.

Full Review | Original Score: C | Nov 18, 2021

"Munn's relatable and subtle performance gives Violet an anchor ... allowing us to become absorbed in Violet's cautious but fulfilling transformation."

Full Review | Nov 15, 2021

Their efforts have given us a supple and empathetic story of a woman who needs to start listening to herself, if her self is still in there somewhere.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Nov 12, 2021

It can be frustrating to watch, but it's also some of Munn's best work as a performer.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 12, 2021

Thanks in large part to Munn's elegant, authentic, grounded and moving performance, we're rooting hard for Violet to find some inner peace.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 11, 2021

First-time feature director Justine Bateman and smashing lead Olivia Munn give personal demons and the Hollywood men's club some hell in this creative display of all that is backstage angst.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 11, 2021

Violet is a bold and relatable story that takes us on an evocative journey of one woman who represents us all in varying gradations.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 8, 2021

Bateman carries Munn through the scenes with ease, and Violet feels like a person heavily burdened by her own fear.

Full Review | Nov 6, 2021

Justine Bateman has been around this business for most of her life, so there's clearly a lot of truth in the story she's telling [in Violet]. If only she'd let it speak for itself.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Nov 5, 2021