The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "An unexpected gag is provided by Gay Soper in
The Ups and Downs of a Handyman when she is momentarily seen singing snatches of the aria from
Citizen Kane in a bathtub. Otherwise, if there are any ups to be had watching this repressive, sniggeringly unfunny soft-core farce, then they must have been brought along by the spectator. And in that case, the film has all the downs necessary to annihilate them ten times over, incidentally making it an extremely effective form of birth control." The
Radio Times wrote: "another cheap-and-cheerful sex comedy in the vein of
Timothy Lea's naughty bestsellers. Barry Stokes brings a certain cheeky charm to the title role, while Gay Soper, Sue Lloyd and Valerie Leon find him plenty to do around the house. What little comedy there is comes from Benny Hill stalwart Bob Todd, as the local magistrate, and Chic Murray, as a harassed bobby. Derrick Slater's script is one long smutty gag, while John Sealey's direction is perfunctory at best." ==References==