Janet Maslin called the characters played by the four central actors "quirky, magnetic", saying they are set against the backdrop of a "bland, artificial culture winning its war with nature"; the film is "much too studiedly
hip to indulge in a
happy ending, but in its wry, offbeat way it does inch forward. In this jaded context, a small step in the right direction is indeed a large step for mankind." According to
People, the film "wants desperately to say something profound about the condition of twentysomethings. But it succeeds only in sounding like outtakes from an undergrad bull session. While Fonda and Cates manage to keep their footing, Roth elicits no emotion beyond irritation, and Stoltz acts as if he's had his nose in the
latex too long."
Roger Ebert gave the film two stars out of four, saying it is "one of those movies that not only comes accompanied by supporting materials, but seems fairly pointless unless you brief yourself"; according to Ebert, if the viewer knows
Newton's first law of motion and keeps in mind that "'
Generation X' is a media buzzword for the late-twentysomethings [who have been] so named, apparently, for their lack of an identity", it is "possible to watch
Bodies, Rest and Motion, and find that it makes a statement about its generation. Without the cheat sheet, you'd more likely say the movie is about a bunch of aimless, boring, hopeless drips, who inspire neither sympathy nor interest. If I were a doctor, I'd suspect
Lyme disease." On
Rotten Tomatoes,
Bodies, Rest & Motion has an approval rating of 53% based on 30 reviews. ==Home video==