39 Pounds of Love
Balcony Releasing | Release Date: November 23, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
56
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
9
Negative:
1
Watch Now
Buy on

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
Pound for pound, Ami is a heavyweight. Read full review
80
Film ThreatPhil Hall
If there is one film which makes the most out of life, this is it. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Aside from the overbearing soundtrack, the film is mercifully unsentimental and Ami himself can be quite droll. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleJohn McMurtrie
An uplifting documentary. Read full review
70
The New York TimesJeannette Catsoulis
A bracingly honest yet poetic portrait of a man refusing to be defined by the limitations of his body. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterSheri Linden
An unsentimental portrait. Read full review
70
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
Sloppy but cheerful documentary. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverMelissa Levine
This is the kind of documentary that, though not particularly accomplished by way of direction, writing, or editing, has such a compelling subject that there's no question about its worth. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
In moments that have nothing to do with representing the weight of love (whatever that is), the film comes alive: when Ami Ankilewitz isn't a symbol - just a man who, for instance, loves a woman. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Like the cerebral palsy-stricken Irish artist Christy Brown of "My Left Foot," Daniel Day-Lewis' Oscar-winning role, Ami is forced to fight such overwhelming odds to express himself that his very limitations become an aid to his vision. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
'39 Pounds of Love is a heartwarmer that looks away from darker, deeper, and more troubling matters. Read full review
60
VarietyDennis Harvey
Dani Menkin's documentary tracks his odyssey, which by nature is hard to be cynical about. Still, the feature feels padded even at 70 minutes. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
A heart-tugger that, although highly inspirational, has a strongly orchestrated quality. Read full review
50
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Everybody involved in 39 Pounds of Love probably had the best of intentions. But watching the filmmakers scurry about to record every last tear, I couldn't help but feel that this twisted little man was being exploited. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
There are some very moving scenes, and Ankilewitz' emotional and physical strength is certainly inspiring. Equally compelling is the dedication of his able-bodied friends and family, who never patronize him. Regrettably, the film itself, which feels both breathlessly over-awed and padded out at only 74 minutes, is unable to treat him with the same relaxed respect. Read full review
50
L.A. WeeklyErnest Hardy
Despite Menkin's clear belief that he's crafted a rousing true-life drama, his film plays like a cliché-ridden, painfully self-conscious Hollywood melodrama about a noble person with disabilities. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderAndrea Gronvall
A more honest film would have been a greater tribute to this brave and tenacious fighter. Read full review
50
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Truly touching moments such as a surprise meeting between Ami and his estranged brother, Oscar, show us this movie didn't need any sentimental help. Read full review
40
Village VoiceR. Emmet Sweeney
Eagerly mimicking reality TV's need to mold life into a digestible narrative, the documentary 39 Pounds of Love simplifies its subject until all that's left is a name and a cloying score. Read full review
40
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
As documentary drama, 39 Pounds Of Love is as ungainly, blunt, and icky as its title. Read full review
38
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Feels uncomfortably stage-managed, and raises fundamental questions that it simply ignores. Read full review
More From This Movie

56 Critic Reviews

7.3 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 72 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL