story." On Metacritic, the film holds a weighted average score of 51 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". The Guardian writer Mark Kermode gave the film four out of five stars praising Andrew Garfield's portrayal of Robin Cavendish stating that "There's real terror in Garfield's eyes as Robin stares into the abyss, spitting in the face of a hospital chaplain who announces that his suffering is somehow part of God's great plan". He also gave praise to the film's score and the role of Diana Cavendish's twin brothers, portrayed in a dual role by Tom Hollander. Peter Bradshaw, another writer for The Guardian added to this, stating that the film "highlights a vital chapter of history" for disabled people but fails to shed "light and shade in the Cavendish'es themselves". The New York Times writer Jeannette Catsoulis gave a mixed review on the film stating that the film's true purpose "is smothered by a cloying fairy tale romance that turns every challenge the couple faces into a lark". She did, however, go on to praise the actors but stated that they were held back by the script noting that "Mr. Garfield smiles broadly through episodes of near-suffocation and bloody sputum, while Ms. Foy embodies the buck-up-and-carry-on mentality that William Nicholson’s screenplay demands". The Hollywood Reporter writer Stephen Dalton also agreed that the film "feels more like Downton Abbey with a medical subplot than a serious biopic about an astoundingly able disabled man and his devoted wife". On the main cast, he stated that,"Breathe paints them as borderline saints, flattening their humanity and carefully glossing over potentially tricky subjects, notably sexual matters. Foy's performance, perky with a hint of steel, mostly rises above these limitations. But Garfield is inevitably hampered by a role that restricts him to little more than nodding and grinning. Tom Hollander also does double duty as Diana’s twin brothers, his dual role seemingly an excuse for some creaky comic banter and slick visual effects". The New Zealand Herald writer Toby Woollaston praised Serkis' directing suggesting that "his attention to the film's technical minutia elevates it beyond a mere actorly drama". He also praised the cast, specifically Garfield who "climbs wholeheartedly into the role of Robin and delivers a convincing performance despite only having his face to act with". IndieWire writer Eric Kohn praised Garfield and Foy's performances noting that "Foy [...]