Passione
Beta Cinema | Release Date: June 22, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
11
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasJul 21, 2011
A beautifully structured and photographed film, John Turturro's rapturous Passione offers a vibrant exploration and celebration of Neapolitan music in all its grit and glory, presenting 23 musical numbers that encompass a millennium's worth of influences. Read full review
88
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertNov 30, 2011
There's a freedom in his structure. This isn't a formal documentary, but as I mentioned, a meander. Read full review
80
The New York TimesA.O. ScottJun 21, 2011
While Passione praises the spirit of its subjects, it also attends to the discipline and tenacity that makes them worth noticing. Read full review
80
Time OutJoshua RothkopfJun 21, 2011
If you're even slightly interested in folk music, there will be something here to simmer that curiosity into a full-on boil: the Arabic trip-hop stylings of monomonikered rapper-singer Raiz, raspy Pietra Montecorvino's Stevie Nicks–like dance tunes, a gorgeous sax solo from local jazz legend James Senese. Read full review
75
St. Louis Post-DispatchJoe WilliamsDec 9, 2011
Turturro, who previously directed a musical called "Romance and Cigarettes," lingers on the sensual movements of the performers and the character faces of the onlookers. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalleSep 29, 2011
I've seen many films about Italy, but this one - possibly because it's so colorful and stylized and possibly because the songs are such economical distillations of a state of mind - feels like being there. Read full review
75
New York PostV.A. MusettoJun 24, 2011
The music is vibrant and the presentation is appealing. Read full review
75
IndieWireEric KohnJun 21, 2011
Subtitled "a musical adventure," the actor-director's love letter to some 800 years of Neapolitan expression probes its subject with a wide romantic outlook. Read full review
70
Chicago ReaderJ.R. JonesDec 1, 2011
Actor John Turturro follows his charming and colorful travel documentary "Rehearsal for a Sicilian Tragedy" (2009) with this assured and freewheeling look at the music of Naples (2010). Read full review
67
Portland OregonianShawn LevyJul 14, 2011
In some regards, watching Passione is like being cornered by actor John Turturro and forced to watch a slide show of his trip to Italy. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineAndrew SchenkerJun 21, 2011
Expressionistic rather than analytical, Passione, John Turturro's cinematic ode to the music of Naples, Italy, unfolds as a compendium of tuneful performances bracketed with the barest of contextualization. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierJun 24, 2011
It can sometimes be hard to sit through, but another song is coming soon, and anyway, close your eyes and imagine you're on vacation, sipping vino in a piazza, soaking in the street life. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubSam AdamsJun 23, 2011
As an actor, Turturro brings wit and a healthy sense of absurdity to many of his roles, but his directorial efforts are notably lacking in self-awareness or restraint. Read full review
50
Village VoiceMelissa AndersonJun 21, 2011
Works best when its director tamps down his impulse to enhance the performances with florid narratives, focusing on just the singer and the song. Read full review
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