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STRONGMANMovie Reviews
Documentary about a strongman, the self-proclaimed "world's strongest man at steel-bending," who is approaching middle age and contending with career disappointments. Cast:Stanless SteelDirector:Zachary LevyRelease Date:November 27, 2009DVD Release: TBD Length:1 hr. 53 min.
Strongman played in limited release to very good reviews. • Jeff Shannon wrote in the Seattle Times, "...a privileged and affectionate glimpse of a truly American dreamer. You can't help but root for Stan, even if he doesn't always deserve it." • And John Anderson called the film in Daily Variety, "A strange and strangely beautiful movie..." More Reviews Below...
Roger Ebert, RogerEbert.com: VERY GOOD "...a tantalizing example of the kind of documentary I find engrossing... Zach Levy has the deadpan approach of a filmmaker like Errol Morris."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 717 words, 02/02/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (6 Reviews)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...an outsider tale of unforced rawness and lilting poignancy.... a work that feels remarkably out of time, a snapshot of a man -- and a relationship -- running in circles."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 347 words, 01/26/11
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "Stan has all the charisma of one of the horseshoes he struggles to bend. He's also boorish, sexist, childish and inarticulate; often pathetic, but never empathetic."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 233 words, 11/27/09
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Thrilling? Not quite; since Levi's film has no clear goal for Stan to reach... Fascinating? Absolutely, because if you take time to listen, everyone's life is a three-ring circus."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 206 words, 01/28/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD "...a tantalizing example of the kind of documentary I find engrossing... Zach Levy has the deadpan approach of a filmmaker like Errol Morris."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 717 words, 02/02/11
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice: EXCELLENT "Filmmaker Zachary Levy's deeply sorrowful but wonderfully affectionate doc depicts the wistful link between humanity and celebrity."(See all of Aaron Hillis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 01/26/11
Luke Thompson, LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "Stanley 'Stanless Steel' Pleskun is equally fascinating to watch, whether you laugh at him or cry with him... and there's a good chance you'll do both."(See all of Luke Thompson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 226 words, 11/26/09
KEY CITIES (4 Reviews)
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "Stanley Pleskun and his girlfriend, Barbara, have a strange relationship.... 'Strongman' is a sad, affecting love story between this Samson and his Delilah."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 453 words, 12/09/09
Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a privileged and affectionate glimpse of a truly American dreamer. You can't help but root for Stan, even if he doesn't always deserve it."(See all of Jeff Shannon's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 324 words, 01/08/10
Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic: VERY GOOD(cg) "What redeems the film is the odd, sad integrity of Stanley... he persists with a purity and directness that breaks our hearts as viewers, just as life breaks his."(See all of Richard Nilsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 533 words, 03/18/11
Clint O'Connor, Cleveland Plain-Dealer: EXCELLENT(cg) "To call it a character study doesn't quite cut it, because 'Strongman' completely undresses its subject. All of his contradictions and personal sideshows are laid bare."(See all of Clint O'Connor's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 406 words, 06/17/11
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (4 Reviews)
Mike Miliard, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "Ten years in the making, Zachary Levy's film is a stark and arresting study of a simple man trying to do good with what he's got.... 'It's hard to be a champion all day.' "(See all of Mike Miliard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 163 words, 12/03/09
Aaron Hillis, Village Voice: EXCELLENT(cg) "Filmmaker Zachary Levy's deeply sorrowful but wonderfully affectionate doc depicts the wistful link between humanity and celebrity."(See all of Aaron Hillis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 198 words, 01/26/11
Keith Phipps, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "...what it loses in structure, it gains in handheld intimacy, letting viewers get to know the mercurial but fundamentally sweet Pleskun."(See all of Keith Phipps's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 392 words, 01/27/11
Luke Thompson, LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "Stanley 'Stanless Steel' Pleskun is equally fascinating to watch, whether you laugh at him or cry with him... and there's a good chance you'll do both."(See all of Luke Thompson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 226 words, 11/26/09
HIGHBROW PRESS (2 Reviews)
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...an outsider tale of unforced rawness and lilting poignancy.... a work that feels remarkably out of time, a snapshot of a man -- and a relationship -- running in circles."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 347 words, 01/26/11
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "Stan has all the charisma of one of the horseshoes he struggles to bend. He's also boorish, sexist, childish and inarticulate; often pathetic, but never empathetic."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 233 words, 11/27/09
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: WEAK "Stan has all the charisma of one of the horseshoes he struggles to bend. He's also boorish, sexist, childish and inarticulate; often pathetic, but never empathetic."(See all of Gary Goldstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 233 words, 11/27/09
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times: EXCELLENT "...an outsider tale of unforced rawness and lilting poignancy.... a work that feels remarkably out of time, a snapshot of a man -- and a relationship -- running in circles."(See all of Jeannette Catsoulis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 347 words, 01/26/11
13.6 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Strongman'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.
Strongman (13 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Strongman's reviews cover 11.4% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,778 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 368 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 284 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Strongman's reviews on average broke 284 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 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 Strongman's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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