Fellini: I'm a Born Liar
First Look International | Release Date: April 2, 2003 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
67
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews
Positive:
18
Mixed:
2
Negative:
1

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New RepublicStanley Kauffmann
It is Fellini's face that is peculiarly welcome, the face that -- in a probably fantasizing but pertinent way -- endorses his films. Read full review
90
The New YorkerDavid Denby
This Franco-Italian-Scottish co-production, directed by Damian Pettigrew, is an extraordinarily controlled piece of film. [14 April 2003, p.88]
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
Both completely fascinating and intermittently frustrating; however, as with Fellini's own films, the downside is far outweighed by the pluses. Read full review
80
L.A. WeeklyJohn Powers
Pettigrew assumes that Fellini was a genius, and while this film won't convince any skeptics, the maestro's fans can sink into it like a hot bath. Read full review
80
Washington PostDesson Thomson
And if the movie's not particularly visual -- apart from the excerpted scenes from Fellini's extremely visual films -- it's entertaining for the ears. Fellini talks and talks. And like many directors, he talks a good life. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. Musetto
The newly found footage of Fellini and actor Marcello Mastroianni on the set of "La Dolce Vita" made me want to run out and see that wonderful film yet again. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeWesley Morris
Only loosely concerned with behind-the-scenes gossip and is squarely focused on the nature of Fellini's insatiability. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
It's a messy, entertaining documentary rooted in -- though not limited to -- the iconically indulgent years of Fellini's later career. Read full review
70
Village VoiceMichael Atkinson
How enlightening you find Damian Pettigrew's obsessive film depends on whether you're as adoring of Fellini as he was of himself; for the devoted, it's a gold mine. Read full review
70
The New York TimesDana Stevens
Mr. Pettigrew's affection for Fellini and his films animates this documentary and limits its appeal. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
General audiences will regret the absence of titles identifying various clips and interviewees, but Fellini fans will want to eat the whole thing up with a spoon. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
Offers a fascinating inquiry into memory and art, mixing clips from Fellini's films with contemporary shots of the same locales in and around Rome. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverGregory Weinkauf
This project is not the last word on Fellini, nor does it replace the director's bizarre self-portraits in Intervista or the TV special A Director's Notebook. It even irritates a bit, as none of the speakers is identified until the end. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Unfortunately, the film assumes viewers have such a vast knowledge of Fellini's life and films that it's likely to play best to graduate film students. Read full review
63
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
It's the many thoughtful, eloquent interviews with Fellini himself that serve as the heart of the film. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
This portrait of the fabulist whose images are as haunting as those of Giorgio de Chirico is a disappointment, not to mention a squandered opportunity. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Its fascination may be limited to those already very familiar with his works and collaborators - and his sensual, highly subjective style. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
As a source of information about his life and work, this interview is almost worthless, but as an insight into his style, it is priceless. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
Occasionally brilliant, profiting from Fellini's distinct and unmistakable way of looking and seeing. But it goes in circles and wears out its welcome, except for the most hard-core enthusiasts. Read full review
50
The A.V. ClubKeith Phipps
Turns a fond look back at the great Federico Fellini into an occasion for the kind of talky tedium Fellini's own movies would never have allowed. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleKimberley Jones
"By practicing his art, he revealed himself to us." Fellini: I’m a Born Liar provides proof positive: The art indeed reveals far more than this pedestrian documentary ever does. Read full review
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