Battle for Brooklyn
RumuR Inc. | Release Date: June 17, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerJun 16, 2011
A documentary about the unending mess that is the Atlantic Yards project, is unabashedly slanted and as a result will probably be dismissed by those it portrays unflatteringly. That's unfortunate, because this film should be discouraging and dismaying for people on all sides of the project, for what it says about oversize expectations and missed opportunities. Read full review
85
NPRMark JenkinsJun 17, 2011
The Empire State's eminent domain laws are unusually loose, but most of the rest of this story is pertinent far beyond New York. Change a few names and add the next credit bubble, and a Brooklyn-style Battle could be headed to a neighborhood near you. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayJun 16, 2011
Most viewers should find the documentary Battle For Brooklyn gripping and provocative, no matter their opinions about eminent domain, historic preservation, or public dollars going to support private development. Read full review
80
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierJun 17, 2011
A gripping documentary about how unnecesary real estate development can change the soul of New York, brings us inside the lives it touches. Read full review
80
Time OutS. James SnyderJun 14, 2011
Battle offers both a sobering portrait of personal revolt (notably through activist Daniel Goldstein, whose eviction fight landed in the State Supreme Court) and a searing case study of a community dismantled by racial and economic tensions. Alas, it's not much of a battle; more like "Requiem for Brooklyn." Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinAug 19, 2011
Although not exactly even-handed, the movie proves a deft look at a reluctant crusader and how financial sway and political override can so effectively trump the power of the average citizen. Read full review
70
SalonAndrew O'HehirJun 23, 2011
Tells the story of a love affair and a new family, and reminds us that even billionaires are not omnipotent. Read full review
70
VarietyJohn AndersonJun 18, 2011
"It's un-American," Goldstein says about the abuses of power at the heart of the film, before correcting himself: "No -- you know what? It is American." That's precisely the message that Battle for Brooklyn doesn't sufficiently explore. Read full review
50
New York PostLou LumenickJun 17, 2011
Unfortunately for the film, it's clear from the outset this is a totally one-sided battle that well-connected developer Bruce Ratner is fated to win. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineAndrew SchenkerJun 14, 2011
Battle for Brooklyn brings up larger quandaries about urban development which it doesn't begin to address. Read full review
50
Village VoiceBenjamin MercerJun 14, 2011
Battle for Brooklyn provides a useful primer on the opposition to Atlantic Yards, but figures who might have made more compelling documentary subjects than the always on-message Goldstein crowd the sidelines. Read full review
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