Orfeu
New Yorker Films | Release Date: August 25, 2000 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
52
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
8
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
70
Mr. ShowbizMichael Atkinson
For audiences new to this type of moon-mad magical realism and unembarrassed romanticism, Orfeu can spellbind.
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
Totally captivating, as seductive as a samba. Read full review
50
Seattle Post-IntelligencerPaula Nechak
While the film is technically polished and visually breathtaking, it lacks depth and becomes little more than a lawless fairy tale packed with pretty people. Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
All in all, though, this Brazilian import is a small curiosity, intriguing more for its failures than its accomplishments. Read full review
60
The New York TimesDana Stevens
Finds a sprawling, vivid middle ground somewhere between documentary and myth. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
A film one watches at an emotional remove, but from that distance there are sights and moments to appreciate. Read full review
88
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
A seductive revisiting of an old classic - one that helps us see these lovers and their world with renewed passion.
50
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
I'm not sure how much has been gained in the updating. Read full review
50
L.A. WeeklyRon Stringer
Unfortunately, the innovations that attend this updating dilute the iconic weight of the original. Read full review
50
New York PostV.A. Musetto
Fails to deliver the dramatic punch.
20
Village VoiceDennis Lim
Hovers between mythic poetry and earthbound grit; the result is an inert, drably florid spectacle. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldCurtis Morgan
It's the slum, the favela, that emerges as Orfeu's most compelling character -- criminally poor yet rich in life.
60
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Dazzlingly colorful. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeStaff [not credited]
A heady, sometimes blurry combination of fable, legend, and social-political commentary.
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