[1] An adaptation of Shyam Selvadurai's 1994 novel of the same name, the film centres on the coming of age of Arjie Chelvaratnam, a young Tamil boy in Sri Lanka who is coming to terms with his homosexuality against the backdrop of the increased tensions between Tamil and Sinhalese people before the breakout of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

[14] Andrew Parker of The Gate stated that "Funny Boy handles both of the material's main angles with respect and compassion, which is a testament to Selvadurai's source material and some of Mehta's strongest visuals to date....this story can be viewed as another great example of how human rights abuses are allowed to run rampant because those experiencing them are staying silent in a bid to go along with the nationalistic flow.

"[16] Jude Dry of IndieWire gave the film a grade of A−, writing that it "is a luminous coming-of-age tale seen through the eyes of a relatable yet entirely unique experience.

"[17] Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Vividly drawn characters portrayed by a lively, likable cast in a seductive tropical atmosphere make this a welcome return of Toronto-based Mehta to filming her native Indian subcontinent.

"[18] Chris Knight of the National Post rated it 3 stars out of 5 and stated that "Certainly a little background into the conflict would help non-Tamil viewers find their footing.

"[20] Kevin Maher of The Times gave the film 2/5 stars, describing it as "a film of thoughtful themes (the poison of intolerance), crudely emblematic scenes and overwritten dialogue", and added: "Worst of all, it soft-sells the horror of ethnic cleansing, with a climactic neighbourhood massacre reduced to a few broken windows and some offensive chanting.