 In the "Chicago Sun-Times", Roger Ebert gave "Desert Hearts" two and a half stars for the simplicity and directness of the film, but noted the surprising power of the romantic scenes.In "City Limits", Amanda Lipman wrote that it was "a passionate, lovingly shot romance" and that "one of the most important differences between ["Desert Hearts"] and most heterosexual romances is the equality with which it treats each of its central characters.