Superstar in a Housedress
Abramorama | Release Date: May 5, 2004 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
80
Village VoiceJ. Hoberman
A fabulously fond and entertaining tribute to the quick-witted Lower East Side kid. Read full review
80
VarietyRonnie Scheib
Fan, friend and documentarian Craig Highberger delivers the goods with rare clips of the inimitable Jackie in Off-Off Broadway shows written by the star. The shaky, blurry quality of this never-before-seen archival footage shot by the helmer only adds to pic's surreal shoestring mystique. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderAlbert Williams
Evoking Curtis's mystique and eccentric personality, filmmaker Craig Highberger also delivers an invaluable chronicle of New York's barrier-smashing underground arts scene circa 1968-'74. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
It's hard to believe Andy Warhol's Factory created enough characters to keep us interested 40 years later, but as it turns out, drag diva Jackie Curtis still has a few more minutes of fame left. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
In Superstar in a Housedress, Curtis remains frozen in his flamboyance. The most resonant parts of the movie are, oddly, the interviews with his fellow glam bohemians. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Liam Lacey
The film extends Jackie's fame beyond her allotted New York 15 minutes and keeps it alive 30 years later, thanks to a mixture of fond high-profile interviews and grainy archival clips. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleCarla Meyer
Funny, affectionate documentary. Read full review
70
The New York TimesStephen Holden
This bright, entertaining movie focuses on Curtis, but it is also a portrait of a scene, whose survivors look back with a mixture of pride and a screwball sense of mischief. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Narrated by Lily Tomlin and featuring a bevy of in-the-know interviews, this exceptionally entertaining documentary from filmmaker Craig Highberger shines the footlights on Jackie Curtis, an Andy Warhol superstar who transcended the Factory scene and proved to be rather exceptional himself. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyChuck Wilson
Slow-starting but ultimately invigorating debut film by Craig Highberger. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
The film is full of flamboyant personalities, and they all contribute to the impression that Highberger above all wants to pay tribute to Curtis' brave determination to discover and express his ever-changing identity at all costs. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Plays like a 90-minute wake, albeit a warm and humorous one. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
It's an engrossing peek at an era that now seems as meteoric, crazy and distant as the Roaring Twenties. Read full review
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