TCM's Susan Doll observes: “For the most part, critical reaction to "Hopscotch" is dependent on the age of the reviewer...” contrasting the reactions of “critics (who) understand... its value as a vehicle for Matthau, the appeal of a literate script, and the craftsmanship behind Neame's measured style,” and the responses of “Contemporary reviewers, accustomed to the violence of spy dramas and the fast pace of action films, (who) tend to be critical of its fluffy plot, dry humor, and lack of action scenes.”