An American Rhapsody
Paramount Classics | Release Date: August 10, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
51
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
16
Negative:
1
Watch Now
Stream On
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Nastassja Kinski, in one of her most affecting performances, does much to convey the turmoil going in her soul. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeJay Carr
Although there's a certain connect-the-dots quality to the storytelling, there's no denying the care and craftsmanship that Gardos has brought to her debut film.
75
Chicago TribuneLoren King
The heartfelt truthfulness of Gardos' tale, and the performances of all leads, particularly Johansson, make the film a powerful account of the universal search for identity and the meaning of "home." Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Made with care and respect, American Rhapsody manages to skirt the edge of excessive sentiment without falling victim to it. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Has an unerring eye for the banal intricacies of 1950s pre-planned suburban neighborhoods, à la Levittown. Read full review
60
New Times (L.A.)Gregory Weinkauf
Distinguishes itself by its subtlety and good taste. Even if we catch a hint of gypsy music on the soundtrack -- or glimpse a disturbing American neighbor lady -- Gardos steadfastly guards us from caricature. She wants to keep it real. Read full review
60
The New York TimesDave Kehr
Ms. Gardos is not a particularly flavorful filmmaker, but she is an honest one. Read full review
60
Mr. ShowbizKevin Maynard
Its emotional sweep is ultimately undercut by murky characterizations and generic plotting.
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
The result is a heartfelt film brimming with ideas and passion but hampered by a literal approach that douses the emotional heat. Read full review
50
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
It's a case of the heart being in the right place, but the script getting in the way. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineFrank Lovece
The glammed-up Kinski looks the same age throughout and only has three expressions: angry, wistful, and someone's-killed-my-dog. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Rhapsody fails to completely hook you, perhaps because the events happen so quickly you barely have time to sort out the characters. Read full review
50
New York PostLou Lumenick
It's in the teenage section where the film goes seriously wrong and veers from an absorbing family story. Read full review
50
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
For a movie with such a vibrant real-life base, An American Rhapsody is surprisingly low-impact. Read full review
50
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
Two-thirds of the way through, it falls apart into TV-movie-of-the-week land, even with the rhapsodic Nastassja Kinski in the lead. Read full review
50
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Heartfelt but often plodding and awkward, the movie feels like a somewhat subpar Sunday night TV movie. Read full review
50
VarietyEddie Cockrell
Calculated yet undeniably skillful melodrama. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
Gardos -- treats it competently, though without much freshness or imagination. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
They don't get more frustrating than American Rhapsody, a near-great film for about an hour that changes into a self-indulgent mess. Read full review
40
L.A. WeeklyHazel-Dawn Dumpert
While Gardos knows what to ask -- and though Kinski and Johansson both easily command attention -- the filmmaker lacks the storytelling sophistication to answer with anything but prettily rendered cliches. Read full review
40
Washington PostRita Kempley
The movie is a little crude for the subtlety of the emotions it plays with. Read full review
30
Village VoiceMichael Atkinson
Gardos, an experienced film editor, has little narrative sense, and decent performances (except from Kinski, who just worries and huffs around) are left out to dry. Read full review
More From This Movie

51 Critic Reviews

8.2 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 81 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
2 77 Project Hail Mary
3 75 Send Help
4 73 Hoppers
5 71 The Sheep Detectives
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL