56
Metascore
11 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 70The New York TimesAndy WebsterThe New York TimesAndy WebsterJust keep your eyes on the old folks; they are where the heart — and the sweet soul music — of this movie lies.
- 63McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreThe most valuable thing about the film, implied in the shared narration by Terrence Howard and director Martin Shore, is capturing these legends one more time before it’s too late.
- 63Washington PostMichael O'SullivanWashington PostMichael O'SullivanTake Me to the River includes just enough history of the civil rights era to lend it gravitas. The color-blind recording practices of studios like Stax were an anomaly at the time and are well worth noting. But it’s the music people will want to hearken to.
- 60Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichYou can’t help but feel all the palpable joy is eliding some darker realities that would lend the copious musical performances a deeper resonance.
- 60Village VoiceSerena DonadoniVillage VoiceSerena DonadoniTake Me to the River takes a while to find its groove and capture what Charlie Musselwhite calls "that secret, Southern, Memphis ingredient."
- 60The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThere's a good deal of pleasure to draw from some of these bonding moments, especially among vets who haven't seen each other for years, but not enough to justify overshadowing the movie's other elements.
- 60VarietyGeoff BerkshireVarietyGeoff BerkshireTake Me to the River compensates for a lack of originality and depth with no shortage of joyful celebration.
- 50San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco ChronicleShore should have just stuck to his strengths, which is producing music. As a documentary, though, Take Me to the River falls woefully short on offering a serious contribution to the history of African American-inspired music.
- 50Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleLos Angeles TimesRobert AbeleTake Me to the River is at its most interesting when zeroing in on the back-and-forth between musicians of different eras who rely on unique jam-session skills.
- 50Austin ChronicleSteve DavisAustin ChronicleSteve DavisThough Take Me to the River also offers up some civil rights history lessons between recordings, it feels like a mishmash effort overall, more a home movie than a theatrical release. That’s fine. If you approach it on those terms, you can’t help but feel the love, too.