▁what ▁could ▁have ▁been ▁just ▁another ▁n erd ▁role , ▁prov ing ▁his ▁break out ▁performance ▁on ▁Str anger ▁Things ▁was ▁more ▁than ▁beginner ’ s ▁luck ." ▁In ▁his ▁review ▁for ▁The ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Post - Dispatch , ▁Cal vin ▁Wilson ▁wrote , ▁" Mus chi etti ▁conj ures ▁an ▁atmosphere ▁of ▁dread ▁that ▁allows ▁for ▁the ▁occas ional ▁burst ▁of ▁humor ." ▁He ▁continued ▁by ▁pra ising ▁the ▁performances ▁of ▁Mus chi etti ' s ▁young ▁cast , ▁cit ing ▁L ill is ▁whose ▁" sp unk y ▁char is ma ▁brings ▁to ▁mind ▁Sc ar lett ▁Joh ans son ▁and ▁Emma ▁Stone . ▁ ▁Maria ▁Sci ul lo ▁of ▁The ▁Pitts burgh ▁Post - G az ette ▁wrote : ▁" D yl an ▁Gra zer ▁and ▁L ill is ▁are ▁stand outs ▁among ▁a ▁pretty ▁good ▁bunch ▁of ▁child ▁actors ." ▁T asha ▁Robinson ▁of ▁The ▁Ver ge ▁pra ised ▁all ▁seven ▁of ▁the ▁central ▁children , ▁saying ▁each ▁are ▁" well - cast ▁and ▁give ▁strong ▁performances " ▁in ▁the ▁film . ▁She ▁also ▁said ▁Ray ▁Taylor ' s ▁port ray al ▁of ▁Ben ▁Hans com ▁is ▁" sur pr ising ly ▁tender ▁and ▁nu anced ", ▁Sk ars g år d ▁seemed ▁" like ▁a ▁real ▁threat " ▁as ▁Pen ny wise , ▁and ▁that ▁L ill is ▁is ▁close ▁to ▁" heart bre aking " ▁as ▁B ever ly ▁Marsh . ▁Christ y ▁Lem ire ▁of ▁Roger E bert . com ▁wrote ▁that ▁" Des p