Kristi Matsuda of LA Weekly wrote that while the script "sometimes slips into sentimentality and entertains the odd delusion of grandeur", the film "mostly presents a spare, refreshingly clear-eyed depiction of a deadbeat’s downward spiral."[1]
Mark Keizer of Boxoffice Pro rated the film 3 stars out of 5 and wrote that while Reynolds "adds little to the conversation", his "close-to-the-bone rendering still draws you in, proving once again that movies begin and end with characters you care about."[2]
Brad Wilke of Film Threat wrote that while the film "does a pretty good job of telling its story", it is "a shame that we’ve seen it all before."[3]
Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote that while Reynolds "deserves credit for his confident, singular approach", his emphasis on "“performance over perfection in image” nets mixed results."[4]
Robert Koehler of Variety wrote that the film "struggles to make a downhill life seem something more than just inevitable."[5]
^Keizer, Mark (20 February 2009). "Chain Link". Boxoffice Pro. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
