Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Sep 10, 2020 3.5/4.0

In refusing to take sides, Higher Ground really allows the story to be about the fullness of Corinne's faith journey.

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David Lamble Bay Area Reporter Jun 10, 2020

...fueled by an emotive ensemble, featuring Farmiga as a devout woman who resists the patriarchal constraints of her faith. It's an offbeat peek into how a rock n roll generation copes with Jesus...

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Amie Simon Three Imaginary Girls Mar 4, 2019

One of those quiet, thoughtful Indies that comes along every once in awhile-leaving an impression.

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Kelly Jane Torrance Washington Examiner Jan 8, 2019 3/4

It can seem a bit of a mishmash at times, but it's all held together thanks to some impressive acting from the three versions of Corinne and a script that tackles a subject most screenwriters won't touch in any meaningful way.

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Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online Sep 8, 2017 C

It rather presents a quaint coming-of-faith tale that's not especially captivating to watch.

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Sean Burns Philadelphia Weekly May 3, 2015

The picture never settles for easy answers, and these warmly-drawn characters are granted a surprising complexity.

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Glenn Dunks Trespass Sep 8, 2013

Higher Ground is a fantastic debut for Farmiga.

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Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com Jan 27, 2012 3/4

Yet there is something about the film, something about the way it is constructed, about what it is saying, that has struck some sort of interior chord with me, and as such I've been having plenty of trouble compiling my thoughts into one.

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Eric Melin Scene-Stealers.com Jan 15, 2012 2.5/4

Movies don't often show the religious fervor of characters like these with such earnestness, and Farmiga's layered performance helps the movie through some rough patches.

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Rob Thomas Capital Times (Madison, WI) Nov 23, 2011 3/4

Above all, Farmiga tells Briggs' story with authenticity, going for small, believable moments instead of big dramatic ones.

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Michael Nordine Not Coming to a Theater Near You Oct 25, 2011

There's nothing quite objectionable about Farmiga's film, and that may be its biggest problem: it's content to comfort when it should seek to challenge instead.

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Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Oct 22, 2011 4/5

A rich, sometimes rewarding, yet deeply flawed work that sometimes gets things so right that it's hard not to forgive it when it doesn't.

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Dan Lybarger KC Active Oct 21, 2011 4/5

What makes 'Higher Ground' fascinating is that it also shows how communities like the one Biggs belonged to can also be appealing.

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John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) Oct 21, 2011 3/4

A shaky but interesting directorial debut...

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Alonso Duralde What the Flick?! Oct 20, 2011

Vera Farmiga proves herself to be, right out of the box, a terrific director.

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Jim Schembri The Age (Australia) Oct 18, 2011 3.5/5

This cool, calculated who's-hunting-who piece that brings home all the requisite tension, gunplay and fighting with a great deal of cinematic style.

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Keith Cohen Entertainment Spectrum Oct 14, 2011 3/4

Farmiga makes an astounding directorial debut in this emotionally-charged film in which doubt brings challenging questions and faith proves to not be the magic elixir in dealing with life's misfortunes.

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Mike Scott Times-Picayune Oct 14, 2011 3/4

It lubes its audiences' mental gears and sets them to spinning without insulting anyone and without issuing threats of eternal damnation. Subtlety, thy name is Vera.

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Leah Rozen TheWrap Oct 7, 2011

Vera Farmiga makes a heavenly debut as a director with Higher Ground, a compelling drama about a woman's spiritual journey.

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Duane Dudek Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Oct 6, 2011 3/4

A dignified and graceful first-person account of how a belief system is created and sustained, and evolves.

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