No Impact Man: The Documentary
Oscilloscope Pictures | Release Date: September 11, 2009 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
66
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews
Positive:
17
Mixed:
4
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
At once noble and naive, earnest and a tad obnoxious. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
The value of No Impact Man, a compelling and suitably exasperating documentary about one family’s attempt to not harm the environment for a year, is that it forces viewers to reflect on their own casual consumption and waste. Read full review
83
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
It all seems like a stunt, especially since Beaven has also written a just-published book about his experiences, but he and Conlin are an engaging pair who don't let zealotry get in the way of humor. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianMarc Mohan
Ultimately, it's an instructive and entertaining examination of both the overlooked environmental costs of everyday life and the possibilities for change. Read full review
80
Film ThreatScott Knopf
To sum up Beavan’s message, he’s not saying you should give up toilet paper. But you should give up what you can. Help any way you can. Do all you can. Read full review
80
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
The movie is a hilarious, riveting must-see about a family as it breaks down almost all the way and then reinvents itself. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleDavid Lewis
It may not be the greatest of cinematic exercises, and it often feels contrived, but this documentary somehow is enlightening, ridiculous, foreboding and funny at the same time. Read full review
75
St. Louis Post-DispatchJoe Williams
Succeeds as both advocacy and entertainment by focusing on the family. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTy Burr
It’s like Sinatra said: If you can make (do without) it there, you can make (do without) it anywhere. The movie leaves it up to you. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJustin Lowe
Gabbert and Schein keep the focus on their subjects, interpreting their struggles through the ups and downs in the couple's relationship as they grapple with increasingly difficult issues. This character-driven approach draws viewers into the couple's struggle and prompts consideration of similar lifestyle changes. Read full review
70
VarietyJohn Anderson
Goes down far easier than, say, an all-natural, fiber-enriched peanut butter sandwich without a glass of soy milk. It's that rare doc (these days) that could go theatrical, largely because it's a film about a couple, more than a movement. Read full review
70
NPRMark Jenkins
It's even harder being the semi-supportive wife, which is what generates most of the electricity in this slight but entertaining documentary. Read full review
70
New York Magazine (Vulture)David Edelstein
The movie gives off a stranger vibe. Beavan is both a hero and a figure of fun, a man whose ideals are in constant collision with the habits of modern life. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesBetsy Sharkey
The film ultimately is more practical than profound, a slightly smartened-up "Dummy's Guide to Green Living," which, as you learn, most of us probably know a good deal less about than we imagine. Read full review
70
Washington PostJohn Anderson
You know what they say: Behind every successful, self-flagellating environmental activist is a woman. And that's what saves both Beavan and the movie. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
What makes this documentary work is that the Beavan family is so relatable. Read full review
63
New York PostKyle Smith
The film makes little sense (the couple refuses to ride subways, but Metro-North is OK), but it's a diverting conversation piece/freak show. Read full review
60
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
I can’t, in the end (all appearances to the contrary), judge Mr. Beavan or this film too severely. Making an impact is easy. Making a difference is hard. Read full review
50
Village VoiceAaron Hillis
We could all do better, definitely, but how much can we possibly glean from a guy whose idealism can be measured with a calendar? Read full review
40
Time OutNicolas Rapold
Eventually runs out of gas--or rather, pedal-power--as the filmmakers grope for how to cap the Beavans’ story. Read full review
40
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
The efforts of Beavan's clan are so extreme that they spark some interest, but their environmental commitment feels a bit too self-serving to have the impact that's clearly desired. Read full review
30
Chicago ReaderCliff Doerksen
The boring, humorless pair do nothing to refute the image of eco-worriers as preening, puritanical douchebags addicted to symbolic gesture and allergic to cost-benefit analysis. Read full review
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