Over the years, the film's critical reputation has grown considerably and it is regarded by some as one of the best films of 1983. Based on 57 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 89%, with an average score of 8.53/10. The site's consensus reads: "Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, "A Christmas Story" deserves its status as a holiday perennial." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 77 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In his movie guide, Leonard Maltin awarded the film a rare four-star rating, calling the film "Delightful" and "Truly funny for kids and grown-ups alike" with "Wonderful period flavor."