Take Me to the River
Abramorama | Release Date: September 12, 2014 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
56
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
4
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
70
The New York TimesAndy WebsterSep 11, 2014
Just keep your eyes on the old folks; they are where the heart — and the sweet soul music — of this movie lies. Read full review
63
Boston GlobePeter KeoughSep 25, 2014
Flawed as it is, “River” reminds us where all the great music came from. Read full review
63
Washington PostMichael O'SullivanSep 18, 2014
Take Me to the River includes just enough history of the civil rights era to lend it gravitas. The color-blind recording practices of studios like Stax were an anomaly at the time and are well worth noting. But it’s the music people will want to hearken to. Read full review
63
McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreSep 11, 2014
The most valuable thing about the film, implied in the shared narration by Terrence Howard and director Martin Shore, is capturing these legends one more time before it’s too late. Read full review
60
VarietyGeoff BerkshireSep 11, 2014
Take Me to the River compensates for a lack of originality and depth with no shortage of joyful celebration. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeSep 11, 2014
There's a good deal of pleasure to draw from some of these bonding moments, especially among vets who haven't seen each other for years, but not enough to justify overshadowing the movie's other elements. Read full review
60
Time OutKeith UhlichSep 9, 2014
You can’t help but feel all the palpable joy is eliding some darker realities that would lend the copious musical performances a deeper resonance. Read full review
60
Village VoiceSerena DonadoniSep 9, 2014
Take Me to the River takes a while to find its groove and capture what Charlie Musselwhite calls "that secret, Southern, Memphis ingredient." Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleSteve DavisSep 24, 2014
Though Take Me to the River also offers up some civil rights history lessons between recordings, it feels like a mishmash effort overall, more a home movie than a theatrical release. That’s fine. If you approach it on those terms, you can’t help but feel the love, too. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleSep 11, 2014
Take Me to the River is at its most interesting when zeroing in on the back-and-forth between musicians of different eras who rely on unique jam-session skills. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleThomas LeeSep 11, 2014
Shore should have just stuck to his strengths, which is producing music. As a documentary, though, Take Me to the River falls woefully short on offering a serious contribution to the history of African American-inspired music. Read full review
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