Alessandra Stanley of the New York Times thought the kudofest, "moved fast, looked effortless and fun and turned out to be a worthy substitute for the more glamorous Golden Globes and, should the writers’ strike continue, maybe even the Oscars." She writes that, "The show, which was allowed by the Writers Guild, went on without a preening master of ceremonies or any long production numbers. No winners felt the need to weep about their mothers or their political opinions. Even the salutes to the guild’s 75-year history were for the most part brisk and entertaining. Like the Golden Globes, the awards covered both film and television. And as in past Globe ceremonies, the stars were seated at tables like guests at a dinner party."

In his favorable review, Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe recapped the more memorable of the acceptance speeches. "The always fragile Daniel Day-Lewis seemed to unburden himself while accepting the best actor award for 'There Will Be Blood,' touchingly dedicating his statue to Heath Ledger for his inspiration. Day-Lewis recalled Ledger's performances, calling Ledger's scene in the trailer at the end of 'Brokeback Mountain' 'as moving as anything I've ever seen.' It was the night's most heartfelt moment. Julie Christie, accepting best actress for 'Away From Her,' gushed with gratitude for 'the divine Sarah, Sarah Polley,' who wrote and directed the movie. She also made the point that the SAG awards serve as a reminder of 'how important unions are.'"

And the Washington Post duo William Booth and Lisa de Moraes delivered a breezy report on the festivities, noting that, "The nice thing about the SAG Awards is they clock in at two hours, with no clutter -- no trophies for cinematographers, composers, costumers. No Best Picture (though 'No Country for Old Men' won the ensemble cast award, which sort of feels like a top film prize). Just Best Actors. Actors loving actors. It's like MySpace."