Vincent Canby, in his review for "The New York Times", called the film "good-natured even when it's not funny," and went on to say that its best jokes are recycled from other, better, films. In a negative review for the "Los Angeles Times", Michael Wilmington said ""Funny Farm" – a weak-fish-out-of-water comedy about a New York City couple who see their rural paradise turned into a rustic hell–is a movie with a doubly deceptive title. This movie isn't about a farm, and it isn't very funny, either." In a staff review, "Variety" said, "As pleasant yuppie comedies go, this is about par."