73
Metascore
23 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasLos Angeles TimesKevin ThomasIn adding feature-film directing to her formidable list of accomplishments, poet and author Maya Angelou tells first-time screenwriter Myron Goble's absorbing and far-ranging story with simplicity and directness while guiding a splendid ensemble cast to an array of impressive portrayals.
- 88Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertChicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertAngelou's first-time direction stays out of its own way; she doesn't call attention to herself with unnecessary visual touches, but focuses on the business at hand.
- 80VarietyJoe LeydonVarietyJoe LeydonPoet Maya Angelou's debut feature directing effort is a solid and affecting piece of work.
- 80Chicago ReaderLisa AlspectorChicago ReaderLisa AlspectorMaya Angelou?s very deliberate blocking of the actors charges each movement and line of dialogue with emotion, and the expressive combinations of colors and textures in the settings convey a palpable sense of the environments in which the characters undergo big but believable changes.
- 75Entertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumEntertainment WeeklyLisa SchwarzbaumRoots matter, is Angelou’s Hallmark-style lesson. So for good measure, novice screenwriter Myron Goble also includes an unsubtle subplot about a candelabra that has been in the family since slaves were freed, thereby throwing one more ingredient into this thick dramatic gumbo.
- 75Baltimore SunAnn HornadayBaltimore SunAnn HornadayBy the time it's ended, past and present have fused inextricably to create a movie that, in its own down-home way, is nothing less than epic.
- 75San Francisco ChroniclePeter StackSan Francisco ChroniclePeter StackA joyful film -- and hopefully one that will not slip away unnoticed.
- 70The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenThe movie, which often threatens to disappear into a tub of soapsuds, is elevated immeasurably by the calm, stately performances of Mary Alice and Mr. Freeman.
- 70NPRBob MondelloNPRBob MondelloA fine family drama...Though the film is marked by overtones of "Beloved," the Jonathan Demme film of Toni Morrison's book, it's worth seeing on its own merits.
- 50TV Guide MagazineTV Guide MagazinePredictable but sometimes moving.