Upon its release, the film faced significant distribution hurdles in the United States due to its sensitive subject matter. Critics praised the lead performances—particularly Irons' haunting portrayal and Swain’s debut—but remained divided on whether the film’s visual beauty risked "beautifying" a story about child exploitation. Comparison to the 1962 Version

However, for those who lived it, the film is poignant. It captures the anxiety of "losing one's roots" while "racing to catch up." The lifestyle of 1997 was one of contradictions: public modesty vs. private ambition; communal duty vs. individual happiness.

The protagonist, often remembered for her chic urban style, represents the "New Woman" of the late 90s—educated, career-driven, and unafraid to challenge patriarchal norms. She is juxtaposed against the "Old Guard" characters who value ancestral worship, arranged marriages, and frugality. The humor in the film arises from the friction between the rice paddies and the newly emerging discos, between the áo dài and the mini-skirt.

Thành công lớn nhất của bản phim 1997 chính là việc tuyển chọn diễn viên. Trong khi Jeremy Irons đảm nhận vai Humbert Humbert với vẻ ngoài lịch thiệp, trầm tư nhưng bên trong đầy rẫy những toan tính ghê tởm, thì ngôi sao trẻ Dominique Swain đã thổi hồn vào nhân vật Dolores Haze (Lolita) một cách sống động đến đau lòng.