▁Er ick son ▁called ▁it ▁" d aring " ▁and ▁" s oph istic ated ". ▁He ▁found ▁the ▁film ' s ▁strong est ▁point ▁to ▁be ▁that ▁rather ▁than ▁becoming ▁a ▁" mel od rama " ▁of ▁sc andal , ▁it ▁focus es ▁on ▁the ▁protagon ist ' s ▁isol ation ▁and ▁self - dis cover y . ▁By ▁his ▁analysis , ▁the ▁film ▁" s id este ps ▁position ▁statements ▁and ▁str esses ▁int imate ▁character ▁touch es . ▁L ian na '' ▁doesn ' t ▁ask ▁us ▁to ▁condem n ▁or ▁cond one ▁anything , ▁but ▁simply ▁to ▁be ▁understanding ▁and ▁sympath etic ▁with ▁each ▁other ." ▁ ▁Crit ics ▁Freder ic ▁and ▁Mary ▁Ann ▁Br uss at ▁wrote ▁" The ▁screen play ▁by ▁John ▁Say les ▁is ▁both ▁con gen ial ▁and ▁wise ... ▁View ers ▁are ▁sure ▁to ▁find ▁much ▁to ▁sav or ▁in ▁the ▁moral ▁and ▁emot ional ▁confront ations . ▁L ian na ▁mus es ▁upon ▁love , ▁friendship , ▁and ▁cam ar ader ie ▁in ▁a ▁fresh ▁but ▁uns pect ac ular ▁way . ▁It ▁is ▁an ▁appe aling ▁movie ▁worth ▁experien cing ." ▁ ▁Acc ol ades ▁The ▁film ▁is ▁recognized ▁by ▁American ▁Film ▁Institute ▁in ▁these ▁lists : ▁▁ 2 0 0 2 : ▁A FI ' s ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Years ... 1 0 0 ▁Pass ions ▁– ▁N omin ated ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁L ian na ▁film ▁scene ▁at ▁YouTube ▁ ▁Category : 1 9 8 3