ze ▁from ▁a ▁bott le ▁hidden ▁in ▁a ▁sk ating ▁boot , ▁she ▁goes ▁to ▁the ▁dogs ▁with ▁an ▁in app ropri ate ▁passion ▁rich ▁enough ▁to ▁suggest ▁an ▁over - the - hill ▁Sarah ▁Bern hardt ▁being ▁trad ed ▁off ▁to ▁the ▁min ors ▁by ▁the ▁Com édie ▁Fran çaise . ▁ ▁Arthur ▁Mur phy ▁of ▁Vari ety ▁wrote , ▁" R ac quel ▁Wel ch ▁stars ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁her ▁most ▁effective ▁roles ▁to ▁date . ▁R ug ged , ▁b raw ling ▁action ▁will ▁more ▁than ▁satisfy ▁those ▁who ▁enjoy ▁that ▁type ▁of ▁commercial ▁car n age , ▁while ▁the ▁script ▁expl ores ▁de ft ly ▁the ▁c yn ical ▁manip ulation ▁of ▁players ▁and ▁aud ien ces ." ▁ ▁Gene ▁S isk el ▁of ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Trib une ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁ 3 ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁ 4 ▁and ▁thought ▁it ▁was ▁" more ▁than ▁good ▁fun . ▁It ' s ▁a ▁gas ." ▁ ▁Kevin ▁Thomas ▁of ▁the ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁Times ▁thought ▁Wel ch ▁" comes ▁through ▁with ▁a ▁character ization ▁as ▁unexpected ▁as ▁it ▁is ▁persu as ive " ▁and ▁said ▁the ▁film ▁" is ▁a ▁well ▁observed ▁slice ▁of ▁contemporary ▁Amer icana " ▁which ▁" marks ▁Ra quel ▁Wel ch ' s ▁coming ▁of ▁age ▁as ▁an ▁actress ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁personal ▁triumph ▁for ▁her ▁after ▁surv iving ▁more ▁ro tt en ▁mov ies ▁than ▁anyone ▁would ▁care ▁to ▁remember ." ▁ ▁Tom ▁Mil ne ▁of ▁The ▁Month ly ▁Film ▁Bul letin ▁wrote ▁that ▁for ▁"