The Age's John Slavin writes "I don't think it has made up its mind whether it is a poetic elegy for bush life or a character study of the bushman.
"[2] The Herald Sun gave it two stars, saying that "Director Kevin Lucas often settles for a far-too-literal interpretation of his source, which only invites the unwelcome (but not totally unwarranted) accusation that this isn't much more than a pretentiously highbrow music video.
"[4] Paul Lepetit of the Daily Telegraph gave it three stars, saying "Almost contemplative at times, The Widower exercises a mesmerising effect upon its audience; for the most part, it is a delicate combination of high art and fine cinema.
"[5] Reviewing in The Australian, Evan Williams gives it 3 1/2 stars sand said "The film as a whole, however -- fragmentary, impressionistic, essentially plotless -- never quite lives up to its high ambitions.
"[6] Paul Byrnes of the Sydney Morning Herald finishes his review with a similar conclusion, "The film still has a power – Haywood's performance is magnificent – but it never achieves a strong inner reality.