Lifeless and progressively dull, if not altogether laughable in places, the movie has the unique distinction of delivering one of Huppert's least convincing, more embarrassing turns...

Golden Youth is, at times, visually stunning: both costumes and cinematography stand out, but ultimately cannot distract from a weak script.

Golden Youth feels more like Whit Stillman's The Last Days of Disco, fascinated by the way individuals try to grift their way through an era of wild parties and grand proclamations.

In keeping with the fairy-tale aesthetic of Ionesco's debut, Golden Youth has a baroque quality to it, especially in its theatrical acting style.