Strongman
"DIA" Productions GmbH & Co. KG | Release Date: January 26, 2011 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisJan 27, 2011
Though filming his hulking hero off and on for nine long years, he (Levy) has created a work that feels remarkably out of time, a snapshot of a man - and a relationship - running in circles. Read full review
80
VarietyJohn AndersonMar 25, 2011
A strange and strangely beautiful movie. Read full review
80
Village VoiceAaron HillisJan 25, 2011
Levy's deeply sorrowful but wonderfully affectionate doc depicts the wistful link between humanity and celebrity. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeWesley MorrisMar 25, 2011
By the end, you don't entirely understand either of these people, but you come to understand why they need each other. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertFeb 2, 2011
Strongman is a tantalizing example of the kind of documentary I find engrossing: A film about an unusual person that invites us into the mystery of a human life. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubKeith PhippsJan 27, 2011
Though Levy's film feels shapeless at times, what it loses in structure, it gains in handheld intimacy, letting viewers get to know the mercurial but fundamentally sweet Pleskun. Read full review
70
The DissolveNathan RabinOct 14, 2013
Strongman is a heartrending character study of a man blessed with superhuman strength, but defeated and overwhelmed by the everyday bullshit of life. Read full review
70
Arizona RepublicRichard NilsenMar 19, 2011
Strongman is a documentary Diane Arbus might have made: These are the wretched of the Earth, and our peeking into their lives feels intrusive. Read full review
67
The PlaylistNikola GrozdanovicNov 14, 2013
Though the ambition is commendable and the genuine depth of study should be applauded, Stan Pleskun is a character we'd ultimately scratch off our list after meeting him in Zachary Levy's Strongman. Read full review
60
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierJan 28, 2011
To use carnival lingo: Thrilling? Not quite; since Levi's film has no clear goal for Stan to reach. Spectacular? Truth be told, those skeptical of Stan's abilities may still walk out as nonbelievers. Fascinating? Absolutely, because if you take time to listen, everyone's life is a three-ring circus. Read full review
60
Time OutS. James SnyderJan 25, 2011
Once upon a time, raw talent was enough to get your name in lights; as this look at the underside of showbiz reminds us, you also need to know how to sell it. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderBen SachsJan 27, 2011
The movie's sympathy is often disarming. Unfortunately the director can be generous to a fault, repeating certain moments and letting others run on after he's made his point. Read full review
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