Blackbird tells the story of a young woman meeting a middle-aged man fifteen years after being sexually abused by him when she was twelve.

Breillat described herself as physically diminished and "afraid of not holding on", but said she rediscovered her love of filming during the production of Last Summer.

[19] Vulture's Allison Willmore labeled the film "a family drama as masterfully propulsive as a horror movie,"[20] while Manohla Dargis of The New York Times described it as "a story about a woman who — after entrancing and appalling you — emerges as both more monstrous and more human than you're prepared for" as well as "complex, tricky, at times very uncomfortable and thoroughly engrossing.

[22] Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter described it as "a movie that defies moral boundaries and narrative conventions,"[23] while The Chicago Tribune's Michael Phillips labeled it "a work of artfully sustained sexual suspense.

She notes that Breillat's approach is "technically intimate yet tonally detached -- languid as a summer's day, sometimes unbearably so, and often uncomfortably warm" and that the film's "matter-of-fact tone" that amplifies tension and complicates viewer empathy.

He describes Last Summer as a "hot – or rather tepid – mess" that fails to capture the original's erotic excitement, pointing out that Breillat's changes dilute the story's impact.

[26] Screen International's Wendy Ide shared a similar sentiment, describing the film as "oddly muted" despite its provocative subject matter.

She notes that the film lacks the "disruptive, confrontational jab" typical of Breillat's earlier work, with key character motivations feeling underexplored.

He highlights what he sees as the film's "great naivety" and outdated audacity in its depiction of a married woman who has an affair with her stepson.

Neuhoff criticizes the film for lacking depth, noting the disconnect between the couple and mocking the shallow performances, particularly that of Samuel Kircher.

[30] Filmmakers Sean Baker, Joanna Arnow, Davy Chou, Raven Jackson and Savanah Leaf cited it as among their favorite films of the year.