Harry Benson: Shoot First
Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: December 9, 2016 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
90
TimeIsaac GuzmánDec 8, 2016
Don’t blink–not even once. That’s the best advice for viewers of the dazzling new documentary Harry Benson: Shoot First. Read full review
88
Rolling StonePeter TraversDec 8, 2016
Bare and Miele do more than track a remarkable career here; they reveal the essentials of what makes Benson unique. Any paparazzo with moxie can get into the action and shoot first. But what this shutterbug's eye arranges, sometimes in a split second, is the work of a singular craftsman with a rare gift: raising the click of a camera shutter to the level of art. Read full review
83
The Film StageChelsey GrassoDec 8, 2016
By the film’s conclusion, you can’t not be in love with this man, and, of course, his pictures. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranDec 8, 2016
As the intriguing documentary Harry Benson: Shoot First demonstrates, the fact that an art-for-art's sake modus operandi is alien to Benson makes his work and the personality and philosophy behind it more compelling than they would otherwise be. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Zosia BielskiDec 15, 2016
When the filmmakers fix the lens on his face and laud his work, Benson looks genuinely embarrassed, mumbling that he’s “shit.” As any seasoned charmer knows, this will only endear you further. Read full review
75
Washington PostPat PaduaDec 8, 2016
Overall, “Shoot First” is a breezy look at a professional whose work remains endearing, despite some highfalutin claims. Read full review
75
Movie NationRoger MooreNov 30, 2016
Benson, who turns 87 on Dec. 2, comes off as an adorable Scots curmudgeon in Justin Bare and Matthew Miele’s film. Read full review
70
Village VoiceDiana ClarkeDec 7, 2016
In his singular dedication to brilliant work, Benson was rarely home, even on holidays, but he expresses scorn for people more concerned with others' feelings than their images. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comGlenn KennyDec 9, 2016
The filmmakers are themselves too celebrity besotted to comment in a meaningful way on how Benson’s career balanced depictions of the rich and famous with in-the-trenches risk-taking. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineKeith WatsonDec 4, 2016
While it offers ample opportunity to admire Benson's body of work, it provides few aesthetic delights of its own. Read full review
60
The New York TimesNeil GenzlingerDec 8, 2016
The film, by Justin Bare and Matthew Miele, would be better if it spent less time gushing about how great Mr. Benson is and more time confronting some of the questions his approach raises. Read full review
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