The film stars Sienna Guillory as widowed mother Holly, whose husband, the father of her daughters Betsey (Jessica Alexander) and Isabelle (Ruby Stokes), died by suicide.

[12] Lena Wilson of The New York Times wrote that "The film's slow-burn magic lies in the many questions it raises as it skitters to a fitful, explosive end", concluding: "You're likely to leave this movie starving for answers, but that hunger can be just as stimulating as it is burdensome.

"[4] The Los Angeles Times' Noel Murray gave the film a mostly positive review, writing: "Muted and ambiguous — sometimes to a fault — A Banquet is well acted and well crafted and should resonate with viewers who have had experiences similar to those of the movie's perpetually anxious mother.

"[13] Christy Lemire, writing for RogerEbert.com, gave the film a score of two-and-a-half out of four stars, lamenting that, "because the sound design is so vivid and Paxton's eye for disturbing detail is so creative, it's even more frustrating that the payoff is so unsatisfying.

"[14] Brian Tallerico, also of RogerEbert.com, referred to A Banquet as "a strong concept in search of a movie", stating that it is "constantly threatening to shape itself into something focused and powerful, but is too content to leave many of its best ideas unexplored.

"[16] John DeFore of the Hollywood Reporter commended Paxton's direction and the performances of Alexander and Guillory, but wrote that "Bull's screenplay comes up short, failing to adequately capture the depth of its teen's encounter with the abyss [...] and to integrate it into the more comprehensible domestic tensions that serve as the plotless film's only framework.

"[17] Courtney Howard of Variety called the film "moderately creepy but emotionally insubstantial", writing that, "With nary any tangible scares, or much to truly unnerve or unsettle except from an empathetic humanistic standpoint, this feature-length directorial debut is assured, but far too ambiguous for its own good.