"Nobody's Fool" was well received by film critics. The film maintains a "Certified Fresh" 91% rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from 54 critics. The site's consensus states: "It's solidly directed by Robert Benton and stacked with fine performances from an impressive cast, but above all, "Nobody's Fool" is a showcase for some of Paul Newman's best late-period work." On Metacritic the film has a score of 86 out of 100 based on reviews from 28 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".