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SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MANMovie Reviews
Documentary about two South Africans who set out to discover what happened to their musical hero, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, a mysterious 1970s American rock icon. Cast:Stephen Segerman, Dennis Coffey, Mike Theodore, Dan Dimaggio, Jerome Ferretti, Steve Rowland, Willem Moller, Craig Bartholomew-Strydom, Ilse Assmann, Steve M. Harris, Robbie Mann, Clarence Avant, Eva Rodriguez, Sixto Rodriguez, Regan Rodriguez, Sandra Rodriguez-Kennedy, Rick Emmerson, Rian MalanDirector:Malik BendjelloulRelease Date:July 27, 2012DVD Release:January 22, 2013From:Sony ClassicsRating:PG-13Length:1 hr. 25 min.
JANUARY 22, 2013
Searching for Sugar Man, Excellent Reviews (Doc) Key Cities
Searching for Sugar Man opened in key cities to excellent reviews. • Cynthia Fuchs wrote for Pop Matters, "...a portrait of an artist committed to his ideals, to the value of manual labor and local connections.... Even when he's found, Sixto Rodriguez remains a mystery." • And Adam Graham wrote in the Detroit News, "...fascinating..." More Reviews Below...
Searching for Sugar Man Positive Reviews (36 Reviews, reviews below)
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: GOOD(cg) "What really stalled the man's career? What was he like to work with? Do those daughters have a mother? Interested parties might want to keep searching."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 217 words, 07/27/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...powerfully emotional... enthralling... celebrates genuine talent and re-affirms the indomitable power of music... a gloriously uplifting experience..."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 452 words, 07/27/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...miraculous and inspiring.... I hope you're able to see this film. You deserve to. And yes, it exists because we need for it to."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 525 words, 08/10/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (12 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "There are several entrancing mysteries circulating in 'Searching for Sugar Man'... Mr. Bendjelloul went looking for a man and found something much greater."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 734 words, 07/27/12
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT(cg) "Rodriguez's story is almost inconceivable in an obsessively magnified, heavily hyped Internet era. Which makes it all the more important to be shared."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 221 words, 07/27/12
Sara Stewart, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "Bendjelloul expertly paces this strange and moving film, half mystery and half meditation on art, fame, the music biz and the definition of a meaningful life."(See all of Sara Stewart's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 326 words, 07/27/12
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "At 85 minutes, it's a tight, sharp achievement... one of the things I love about it is simple: It moves to a relaxed rhythm, in sync with its slightly otherworldly subject."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 348 words, 08/10/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...miraculous and inspiring.... I hope you're able to see this film. You deserve to. And yes, it exists because we need for it to."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 525 words, 08/10/12
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "Fluid, open-ended documentaries that demand more of an audience than foregone assent or fleeting bouts of passive outrage are rare these days..."(See all of Mark Holcomb's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 207 words, 07/25/12
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...there are surprisingly few photographs of Rodriguez and almost no performance footage, a situation that Bendjelloul uses to his advantage."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 646 words, 08/10/12
Brad Wheeler, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "In some ways, 'Searching For Sugar Man' finds its subject. In other ways it does not. Rodriguez, who only casually pursued fame, is re-discovered, but not fully uncovered."(See all of Brad Wheeler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 08/03/12
Radheyan Simonpillai, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...will enlighten you about the man and his music, unravelling a mystery that nobody knew they wanted the answer to.... aims to redeem history's slight."(See all of Radheyan Simonpillai's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 217 words, 08/09/12
KEY CITIES (11 Reviews)
Mark Jenkins, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the movie is neatly structured, and Rodriguez turns out to be an interesting guy. He's worth getting to know, even if his music isn't."(See all of Mark Jenkins's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 418 words, 08/03/12
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Beautiful and revelatory, 'Searching for Sugar Man' also incorporates huge chunks of Rodriguez's music. These songs are striking.... His spirit, happily, is thriving still."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 464 words, 08/10/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "...has the shape of a detective mystery.... an electrifying illustration of music's power to inspire and change lives on both sides of the footlights."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 217 words, 08/17/12
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "Malik Bendjelloul really knows how to spin a yarn.... If you like music, a good mystery or, better yet, a combination of both, you won't be disappointed."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 553 words, 08/24/12
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a rock documentary that goes way behind the music to tell a story that seems pure urban legend... there's more than a touch of the Zen monk to this man."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 993 words, 08/10/12
Peter Hartlaub, San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...superb... covers the 1990s investigation by fans to reveal Rodriguez's true fate, and it re-examines his place in rock history."(See all of Peter Hartlaub's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 316 words, 08/03/12
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Bendjelloul structures the film both as a mystery and an inspirational tale... you're touched and enthralled by this story's fairy-tale ending..."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 336 words, 08/24/12
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: OUTSTANDING(cg) "I beseech you to see the movie without investigating the story beforehand. This profoundly moving film is investigative journalism at its most artful."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 388 words, 09/14/12
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) " 'Sometimes a fantasy is best left alone,' someone says in the movie, arguing that history should be left alone... 'Searching for Sugar Man,' though, argues otherwise."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 660 words, 09/14/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Mark Holcomb, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "Fluid, open-ended documentaries that demand more of an audience than foregone assent or fleeting bouts of passive outrage are rare these days..."(See all of Mark Holcomb's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 207 words, 07/25/12
Brett Michel, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a mix of standard talking-head interviews, animated sequences, and archival footage, Bendjelloul unlocks a mystery, painting a compelling portrait..."(See all of Brett Michel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 151 words, 08/09/12
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the first half can be agonizingly sad, but in its second half it morphs unexpectedly but wondrously from tragedy to triumph, from mourning to celebration."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 316 words, 01/21/12
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a portrait of an artist committed to his ideals, to the value of manual labor and local connections.... Even when he's found, Sixto Rodriguez remains a mystery."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 573 words, 06/26/12
Michelle Orange, Movieline: VERY GOOD(cg) "...even the wise and thoughtful Rodriguez himself would insist that more than one man's third act justice, this is a story about time and a swiftly vanishing context."(See all of Michelle Orange's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 764 words, 07/27/12
Chris Cabin, Slant: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...admirable, if a bit uneven... Despite crafting a consistently engaging film, director Malik Bendjelloul doesn't present the full scope of Rodriguez's life..."(See all of Chris Cabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 762 words, 04/28/12
Radheyan Simonpillai, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...will enlighten you about the man and his music, unravelling a mystery that nobody knew they wanted the answer to.... aims to redeem history's slight."(See all of Radheyan Simonpillai's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 217 words, 08/09/12
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: OUTSTANDING(cg) "I can't remember the last time a film rocked my world and blew my mind like 'Searching for Sugar Man' does.... wholly extraordinary..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 673 words, 07/26/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "There are several entrancing mysteries circulating in 'Searching for Sugar Man'... Mr. Bendjelloul went looking for a man and found something much greater."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 734 words, 07/27/12
Dennis Harvey, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...a winning musical detective story about a failed, forgotten early '70s rocker who became a huge success halfway across the world -- in absentia, while presumed dead..."(See all of Dennis Harvey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 01/20/12
Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Despite an affecting soundtrack featuring Rodriquez's wistful music and penetrating lyrics, the unexpected twist late in the film struggles to overcome flagging narrative momentum..."(See all of Justin Lowe's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 616 words, 01/20/12
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD(cg) "Simple, straightforward and emotionally effective.... serves as a testament to hope, inspiration and, above all, the resonating power of music."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 445 words, 03/01/13
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "There are several entrancing mysteries circulating in 'Searching for Sugar Man'... Mr. Bendjelloul went looking for a man and found something much greater."(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 734 words, 07/27/12
13.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Searching for Sugar Man's reviews are separated by an average 13.6 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Searching for Sugar Man (36 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Searching for Sugar Man's reviews cover 45.7% of potential readers (average is 68.0%). Volume:The film's reviews total 16,863 words involume (average is 20,220 words). Length:The film's reviews average 468 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Searching for Sugar Man Coverage, Volume & Length (36 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 19.7 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.3 Release)
Searching for Sugar Man's reviews on average broke 19.7 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.3 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Searching for Sugar Man's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Searching for Sugar Man (36 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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