Critics called Cynthia Erivo's Prima Facie a near-total muddle and praised her performance anyway
Critics may be split on Cynthia Erivo’s latest crime drama, but you shouldn’t rule out an Oscar nod just yet.
So, Cynthia Erivo is back in the awards conversation, and this time it’s all about her latest crime drama, Prima Facie. The film, which is adapted from Suzie Miller’s hit stage play, had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September 2026. It’s Erivo in the sort of emotionally draining lead role that critics tend to love—except, of course, the reviews are all over the shop.
Prima Facie had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September 2026.
An Awards Favourite Gets a New Lead
The story follows Tessa, a sharp London criminal barrister who’s made a name defending clients against sexual assault charges. Things take a twisted turn when she’s assaulted herself by a colleague, leaving her to battle the same legal system she’s spent her career navigating. It's intense character stuff, which explains why Jodie Comer scooped up both an Olivier and a Tony for the original stage version. Now it’s Erivo’s turn on screen, stepping into shoes that have already taken home the biggest prizes in theatre.
This is classic Oscar fare: complicated morality, legal drama, and a lead performance that chews right through the scenery (in a good way, honestly). And the buzz coming out of TIFF was deafening—Erivo and the filmmaking team got a standing ovation, according to Variety, which you’d think would make her a shoo-in for awards night. Trouble is, the critics can’t quite decide if the film nails it or leaves something behind in the jump from stage to screen.
Crowd Cheers, Critics Split
The critics’ responses couldn’t be more different. Over at Deadline, Pete Hammond called Erivo a ‘fine dramatic actor’ handling the slippery, ambiguous writing as best she can. But he pointed out that the new adaptation’s more literal style means 'something may have gotten lost in translation'—the implication being that what wowed theatre audiences hasn’t entirely survived the trip to cinema.
Turning to The Hollywood Reporter, Caryn James said the film came across as 'a near-total muddle', though she still found 'some stunning supporting performances'. Still, she didn’t hold back when it came to Erivo’s range, saying she expresses the character’s shifting emotions 'eloquently'. The Guardian’s Richard Lawson also wasn’t thrilled with the film but did credit Erivo’s performance with 'focused rigor', though he did note she doesn't have that much to work with this time out.
On one hand, then, you’ve got the film itself drawing criticism for not living up to the hype of the play. On the other, there’s broad agreement that Erivo herself is excellent. The consensus seems to be: the adaptation’s a bit of a mixed bag, but she’s the major reason to show up.
Not Erivo's First Rodeo
It’s worth mentioning Erivo's already got serious Oscar cred, with nominations for Harriet in 2020 and Wicked in 2025 under her belt. So, even if Prima Facie divides the critics, her performance is likely to keep her in the running next awards season—especially if the Academy stays true to form and favours powerhouse acting turns, regardless of what the rest of the film’s doing.
Oddly enough, there’s still no theatrical release date for Prima Facie. For now, then, it’s a case of wait and see—both for the film’s general release and for whether the hype around Erivo at festivals translates into another run at Oscar gold.