 In the "San Francisco Chronicle", Mick LaSalle called it "a film teeming with riches.One of the most powerful romances of recent years, it is as generous as they come ... an intelligent tale told with go-for-broke passion ... Crudup and Connelly are splendid together ... "Waking the Dead" gives us acting at its biggest and most beautiful".In his review for the "Los Angeles Times", Kevin Thomas wrote, "The seeming presence of Sarah creates a special challenge for Gordon and his stars, and that "Waking the Dead" deals with it so imaginatively, makes the film all the richer and provocative an experience".