Desert Dancer
Relativity Media | Release Date: April 10, 2015 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
49
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 17 Critic Reviews
Positive:
4
Mixed:
12
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleApr 9, 2015
In the end, it’s hard to know whether to see the Iran of Desert Dancer in optimistic or pessimistic terms. Young people, especially, want to be free, but the other side has all the power. Having YouTube on your side certainly helps, but an army and some tanks can come in handy, too. Read full review
70
The DissolveNathan RabinApr 9, 2015
Desert Dancer is blessed by a powerful sincerity. The filmmakers clearly believe the bromides offered about the life-affirming power of dance and artistic expression. The conviction that this story matters and deserves to be taken seriously gets the film over its occasional rough patches. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesMary HoulihanApr 9, 2015
The powerfully choreographed dances also address the idea that artistic vision is a potent antidote to repression. Read full review
63
New York PostSara StewartApr 9, 2015
It may fall into some conventional paces as a triumph-over-adversity story, but Desert Dancer does manage to movingly convey the chilling, ultimately triumphant experience of Ghaffarian’s struggle for creative expression under a regime that tried to crush it. Read full review
60
Total FilmJames MottramDec 21, 2016
With robotic depictions of Iran's 'morality police', the political subtext is strictly one-dimensional. But with ace choreographer Akram Khan on board, the dancing is powerful. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsGraham FullerApr 9, 2015
Desert Dancer is a conventional protest drama, but it offers many magic moments — especially when co-stars Freida Pinto and Reece Ritchie perform sinuous routines. Or simply gaze into each other’s eyes. Read full review
50
RogerEbert.comGlenn KennyApr 10, 2015
While hardly perfect, a movie that frequently displays surprising sensitivity and sensibility. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesSheri LindenApr 9, 2015
Ghaffarian's story plays out within such a generic framework, and with such self-importance, that it's all too easy to remain untouched by the onscreen events. Read full review
50
The New York TimesAndy WebsterApr 9, 2015
Desert Dancer explores fascinating aspects of present-day Iran but suffers mightily from simplistic and sentimental tendencies. Read full review
50
Screen DailyTim GriersonApr 9, 2015
Though suitably moving in parts, Desert Dancer is more dutiful than inspired, reducing a worthy message to lukewarm sermonising. Read full review
50
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzApr 9, 2015
One of those message movies that never uses subtlety when a sledgehammer is handy. Read full review
50
The Hollywood ReporterFrank ScheckApr 9, 2015
Desert Dancer too often lapses into generic cinematic clichés, failing to live up to the dramatic potential of its subject matter. Read full review
50
Movie NationRoger MooreApr 9, 2015
First time feature director Richard Raymond never quite lifts this above generic in tone and message. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubKatie RifeApr 8, 2015
The whole thing resembles nothing more than the kind of video a well-meaning high-school teacher would put on to occupy their class while they catch up on some paperwork. It will almost certainly be used for this purpose in the future. Read full review
50
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlApr 7, 2015
The film plays too safe with its narrative. Fortunately, like its characters, it's most daring when it's in motion. Read full review
40
VarietyScott FoundasApr 9, 2015
Desert Dancer traffics in the kind of spirited rebel-youth archetypes who’ve been endemic to dance movies for decades. Read full review
38
Slant MagazineEd GonzalezApr 6, 2015
The film's relentless turning of its characters' experience into platitudes and homilies is served for our too-easy consumption. Read full review
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