Drumline
Fox 2000 Pictures | Release Date: December 13, 2002 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
63
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews
Positive:
21
Mixed:
4
Negative:
3
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
Does more than capture the excitement of marching bands; it gets their clockwork beauty as well. Read full review
88
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
The final drum-off (c'mon, you knew it would come down to that) resembles a combination of music, gymnastics and martial arts, and I don't think I've seen a more pulse-pounding scene this year. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderTed Shen
Exuberant music and precision choreography furnish the thrills in this thoroughly enjoyable saga. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Every holiday season needs a pleasant surprise, and this year it's Drumline. This entertaining and enthusiastically told tale shrewdly energizes its way-familiar plot line by setting it amid one of the greatest and least-known spectacles in American sports. Read full review
80
Film ThreatMarcus D. Russell
This film takes chances and is abundant with style, seeming to pick-up where "Brown Sugar" left off, introducing editing conventions not normally accustomed to African-American film. Read full review
80
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
Shakes, rattles and rolls the house, building to a climax that makes you almost forget you're in a movie theater and not a football stadium at halftime. Read full review
78
Austin ChronicleKimberley Jones
Good, clean fun, with none of the icky aftertaste so common to “family friendly” ware, Drumline proves irresistible in more ways than one. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMark Caro
That it's got a positive message may strike some as decidedly not "edgy" -- but they should be too busy stomping their feet to notice. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
A bonanza of pop uplift. It wraps the up-from-nothing drama of ''Flashdance'' in the sassy, interracial pep rallying of ''Bring It On'' and the military romance of ''An Officer and a Gentleman.'' Read full review
75
New York PostLou Lumenick
It's a tribute to the sheer professionalism of this crossover charmer that it holds your interest for two solid hours. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Everything in Drumline engages, from its likable cast to its breathtaking finale. Only the most jaded viewers won't be cheering by the end. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Entertaining for what it does, and admirable for what it doesn't do. It gets us involved in band politics and strategy, gives us a lot of entertaining halftime music, and provides a portrait of a gifted young man who slowly learns to discipline himself and think of others. That's what it does. What it doesn't do is recycle all the tired old cliches. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleJonathan Curiel
These aren't the marching band songs of your father's or mother's generation but a musical expression that is modern and exciting to watch. Read full review
75
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Because the script is smart enough not to insult us and to develop a group of interesting characters, the act of watching the film is an entertaining experience rather than a tedious exercise. Read full review
70
VarietyJoe Leydon
Brimming with heart and humor -- Drumline is a formulaic crowdpleaser set in the competitive world of university marching bands at predominantly black universities. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Who knew marching bands could be so sexy? Read full review
70
The New York TimesDana Stevens
If all this does not quite add up to a coherent movie, it does produce a bouncy, boisterous and charming one, which becomes downright thrilling when it shows the bands in action. Read full review
70
SalonCharles Taylor
When the camera is floating up high, as the band practices its moves on the field, you can imagine Busby Berkeley watching somewhere, jealous that he never got his mitts on a marching band. Read full review
63
USA TodayMike Clark
If it's conventional, it's also competent. Thanks to director Charles Stone III (of the famed "Whassuup?!" Budweiser spots), the clichés at least have a good beat. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Bogged down by a lazy script and underwhelming performances. Fortunately, there's no hiding his jubilant passion for ritual and symmetry, which makes each perfectly choreographed band scene a genuine thrill to watch. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
The marching bands' duels are as fun as the cheerleader wars in "Bring It On." Read full review
58
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
It's an odd, overly long picture, filled with too many pauses but dotted with just enough funky band sequences to keep you interested.
58
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
Along the way the film loses sight of the joy of music that supposedly pushes them all. Read full review
50
Village VoiceMark Holcomb
An exhilarating serving of movie fluff. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Jennie Punter
Comes close to collapsing under the weight of drawn-out scenes and an earnest story that piles on minor themes and subplots, but the energy and visual kick of the band numbers saves the day. Read full review
30
Dallas ObserverLuke Y. Thompson
If you were ever in marching band, you'll love this; if not, stay far away. Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyMark Olsen
It's like a musical with no big numbers, or an action film withholding the explosions. Read full review
20
The A.V. ClubNathan Rabin
Essentially "Bring It On" minus the effervescence, star power, energy, and brisk pace -- in other words, everything that made it bearable. Read full review
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