Master of Light
HBO Documentary Films | Release Date (Streaming): November 16, 2022 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
81
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 10 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
IndieWireRobert DanielsMar 17, 2022
Master of Light is a gentle and graceful film defined by the capriciousness of sight. Read full review
90
VarietyLisa KennedyMar 17, 2022
The light here emanates from Morton. His curiosity about art, about his place in the world after his incarceration, makes visible the darkness he’s experienced. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comMatt FagerholmNov 16, 2022
Boesten’s picture leaves viewers contemplating all that they have been unwilling to forgive, and all that could be achieved once that baggage has been thrust from their shoulders. Read full review
85
Film ThreatSabina Dana PlasseNov 17, 2022
Boesten’s ability to capture the natural beauty and intense emotions revolving around family, ghetto life, drug dealing, and its consequences is exceptional and unexpected. She transforms Master of Light from a straightforward biography of a great but somewhat unknown artist into a poignant documentary that offers something to everyone of any generation. Read full review
83
The PlaylistLeslie Byron PittNov 17, 2022
Morton’s paintings are beautifully stirring pieces. Gracefully composed with a true sense of the artist’s history behind them. Rosa Ruth Boesten’s film is an extension of this. A fitting and compassionate feature that reignites fierce feelings about the power of artistic expression. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesNoel MurrayNov 18, 2022
The lingering trauma of Morton’s upbringing is an ongoing challenge for him, even with all of his success; and this quietly moving movie examines how the right opportunities or the wrong expectations can make all the difference in who a person becomes. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeMar 17, 2022
Much is left unsaid in the beautifully shot doc, which will leave inquisitive viewers wanting many more specifics on both the family front and the artistic one. But sacrificing such detail allows Boesten to develop a more intimate emotional portrait of Morton, a subject whose thoughtful self-invention is affecting practically from the first scene. Read full review
70
Screen DailyTara JudahNov 17, 2022
More than just another personal story of adversity overcome, Boesten’s film paints a rich, complex portrait of Black American life. Read full review
70
Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonNov 17, 2022
Master of Light is a film not just about art and redemption but a character sorting out his life, and what he truly believes about art. Read full review
70
The New York TimesBen KenigsbergNov 17, 2022
The thesis of the movie — that art can be restorative and help overcome cyclical, systemic failures — might seem trite. But Morton’s devotion to his painting and his loved ones makes it difficult not to be moved. Read full review
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