An Honest Liar
Abramorama | Release Date: March 6, 2015 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
76
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
15
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
New York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinMar 7, 2015
Whatever his foibles, An Honest Liar depicts a great American original — a man who has taught a generation of scientists, magicians, and even certain film critics that our senses must be trained to detect the smell of bullshit. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireMar 20, 2015
If its account of Randi’s work as an exceptional entertainer and a zealous debunker were all that An Honest Liar gave us, it would be a tremendously fascinating film. But the movie also contains a third-act surprise – which won’t be revealed here – that makes it both unexpectedly revelatory and deeply moving. Read full review
88
Boston GlobePeter KeoughMar 19, 2015
It would violate a taboo to relate how this movie magic, masterfully orchestrated by Weinstein and Measom, is done. Their film is as smooth as Randi’s patter and demonstrates how the documentarian’s camera is quicker than the eye. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianMarc MohanApr 10, 2015
Today, Randi's stooped, gnomish gait and expansive white beard give him the appearance of a Tolkien wizard, but the man's passion for rationality and for exposing fraud and misbelief are stronger than ever. An Honest Liar is a fitting tribute to a figure whose stamina and wit only appear to be magical. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzApr 9, 2015
An Honest Liar is a fascinating look at what the truth means, and how it means different things to different people. It's also a reminder that no one has a monopoly on it. Not even the Amazing Randi. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesSheri LindenMar 5, 2015
An Honest Liar isn't simply a career recap or a fond portrait; the movie takes exhilarating turns as directors Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom follow present-day developments in Randi's personal life. Read full review
80
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisMar 5, 2015
Directors Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom have produced a jaunty, jovial portrait with a surprising sting in its tail. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerMolly EichelMar 20, 2015
The real joy of Tyler Measom and Justin Weinstein's documentary is not the copious amount of file footage - such as clips from The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson could still smoke at his desk on camera - or Randi's inherent charisma, or even his acts of escape and magic. No, it's his relationship with his partner of 25 years, Jose Alvarez. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperMar 19, 2015
Even with my misgivings about some of Randi’s methods, anyone who can challenges faith healers, psychics and mediums who claim a special bond with the dead — and often wins those challenges — deserves a standing ovation. An Honest Liar is an honest portrait of just that man. Read full review
75
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanMar 19, 2015
In the end, An Honest Liar becomes a far more layered tale than it starts out to be. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Geoff PevereMar 3, 2015
The ultimate question in An Honest Liar is whether it’s possible to know so much about the method behind the magic without being fooled into believing your own act. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternMar 5, 2015
The film deserves to be seen, and admired, for its own revelations, and for its unlikely, yet deeply affecting, transformation into a story of abiding love that, in its own turn, involves a deception. At the age of 86, Mr. Randi is a small, gnomish figure who walks with a cane. What seems entirely undiminished, though, is the power of his mind, driven more than ever by the dictates of his heart. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDavid RooneyMar 3, 2015
The film navigates an abrupt turn when it explores an elaborate untruth in the subject's own life. But while that shift could have been smoother and its conclusions more coherent, this is nonetheless intriguing stuff. Read full review
70
VarietyDennis HarveyMar 3, 2015
An Honest Liar is a highly entertaining portrait of James “the Amazing” Randi. Read full review
70
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlMar 3, 2015
The film's heart, like Randi's, is in the penetration of illusion, rather than its manufacture. Read full review
60
Time OutJoshua RothkopfMar 4, 2015
The doc makes a hairpin turn into sentiment, as the realities of immigration law impose themselves on Randi’s private relationship with his Venezuelan lover of 25 years. We already know that professional charlatans run from their pasts. Where they head to, though, is the better question: For a while, An Honest Liar brings a captivating crusader into view. Read full review
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