Frank Schenk of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that Roth "delivers a familiar-feeling but affecting tale about a middle-aged man who finds emotional redemption when he’s suddenly tasked with parental responsibilities he never imagined he’d have."[1] Bradley Gibson of Film Threat gave the film a score of 8/10 and wrote, "The film explores dark territory but treats the subjects with emotional intelligence and sensitivity. Whether or not Jack and Pearl come to mean anything to each other, the journey they take toward becoming “father and daughter” is enlightening."[2]
Joe Leydon of Variety wrote, "Wildly uneven but sporadically affecting, Bobby Roth’s Pearl is a curiously disjointed drama that relies on the compelling performances of veteran actor Anthony LaPaglia and promising newcomer Larsen Thompson for most of its emotional impact."[3]
