Always Shine
Oscilloscope | Release Date: November 25, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
72
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
The PlaylistKimber MyersOct 21, 2016
It’s simultaneously incredibly pleasurable and quite disturbing, owing to its chilling elements and commentary on larger issues. Read full review
90
The New York TimesGlenn KennyNov 25, 2016
Always Shine is a deft, assured movie with a sly self-reflexive undercurrent containing commentary on sexism and self-idealization that’s provocative, and sometimes disturbing. Read full review
90
Village VoiceApril WolfeNov 22, 2016
Always Shine is a potent psychological thriller, all right. But it's also a powerful statement on the very industry that produced it. Read full review
83
IndieWireEric KohnOct 21, 2016
Even as the movie lingers on the question of whether one woman has more talent than the other, Always Shine is an effective actor’s showcase for both of them. Read full review
80
We Got This CoveredMatt DonatoNov 26, 2016
This is a glamorous, commanding and important watch, primed to corrupt audience minds for a multitude of passionate reasons – first and foremost of which is that Takal stages one damn fine free-thinking thriller. Read full review
80
Time OutJoshua RothkopfNov 23, 2016
What makes Always Shine transcend, though, is its long-telegraphed yet still unexplained switcheroo — not exactly new to fans of "Mulholland Drive" (or even "Freaky Friday") but near-experimental in its implications, given the context of two women struggling to make their professional marks. Read full review
75
ConsequenceClint WorthingtonDec 7, 2016
Always Shine is a fantastic thriller for two-thirds of its runtime, ending with a ballsy third act as admirable in its ambition as it is narratively frustrating. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyNov 25, 2016
Always Shine is an immersive nightmare of merging, over-identification, and projection. Its strangeness (and I yearned for more strangeness) is part of the fascination. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloNov 23, 2016
Always Shine shines brightest when it lets these women be themselves, and the filmmaking provides the dissonance. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesSheri LindenDec 1, 2016
While the foreshadowing proves more fascinating than the upshot, the two leads breathe jittery life into every sinister twist. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeOct 21, 2016
Strong performances propel a movie that wears its influences (De Palma, Lynch) on its sleeve without feeling like a copycat. Read full review
67
Entertainment WeeklyChris NashawatyDec 1, 2016
The too-clever conceit sabotages the whole thing. Read full review
67
The Film StageJordan RaupOct 21, 2016
In the end, even with its shaky introduction and unsatisfying climax, Always Shine effectively lingers with a pair of deeply committed performances and Takal’s layered dissection of the vulnerabilities inherent in the world of filmmaking. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineCarson LundNov 19, 2016
The film undermines the unity of its characterizations, redirecting into garish phantasmagoria. Read full review
50
VarietyScott TobiasOct 21, 2016
With her confident second feature, director Sophia Takal (“Green”) takes on Tinseltown misogyny and the toxic rivalry between friends, but that’s mere prelude to a gonzo meta-fiction that deconstructs itself nearly to death. Read full review
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