The film was received a Metacritic score of 81 out of 100 which meant the film was met with critical acclaim. The film has a score of 85% with a certified "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 54 reviews with the consensus being it is "A courtroom drama and a portrait of everyday Mali life, Bamako approaches both subjects with equal skill and success."[7] The film received much praise for its direction by Sissako.