Commune
First Run Features | Release Date: November 3, 2006 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
74
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
VarietyRobert Koehler
Often mocked and rarely understood, the movement in communal living that blossomed with Flower Power in the '60s gets its most honest appraisal yet on film with Jonathan Berman's Commune. Read full review
80
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
Amid the dozens of documentaries made about various aspects of '60s society and culture, Commune stands out for its ambiguity, honesty and sheer human clarity. Read full review
80
The New York TimesStephen Holden
A breezy, informal history of the Black Bear Ranch, a long-running California commune begun in the summer of 1968 and still in existence, offers the fascinating spectacle of observing people then and now. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyGreg Burk
A nice counterpoint is the soundtrack, with psychedelic trip music and bottleneck blues by noted wild-ass guitarist Elliott Sharp. It’s good to hear people talking about openheartedness without irony. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubNoel Murray
It's fascinating to see how the Black Bears got onto their current path, but we don't see enough of the journey. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsJack Mathews
Jonathan Berman's documentary about California's famous Black Bear Ranch is a trip. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
As we learn in director Jonathan Berman's fun documentary Commune, the ranch was financed by people such as musician Frank Zappa and actor James Coburn. Read full review
75
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The only famous person in the film, actor Peter Coyote, is an eloquent spokesman, but he was only a visitor to Black Bear; the stars are the full-timers, and their willingness to share their rich and sometimes painful memories is captivating. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen Johnson
Black Bear Ranch's legacy of environmentalism (the residents were on the forefront of the anti-deforestation movement), and the endearing long-term relationships it engendered, endure. Read full review
70
Village VoiceJ. Hoberman
Celebrating the desire to immerse oneself in a collective, world-changing enterprise, Commune is unavoidably nostalgic. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesMichael Ordona
Unfortunately, producer-director Jonathan Berman only scratches the surface of daily life at Black Bear. We're left with many unanswered questions about the nuts-and-bolts of the place, even the basic social interactions and what it's like today. There are so many voices in the piece that we never get to know any of them; it's a dizzying array of opinions. Read full review
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