The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble
Home Box Office (HBO) | Release Date: June 10, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
12
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
Watch Now
Buy on
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Stream On
Expand

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerJun 17, 2016
The film’s most joyous performer is the bagpiper Cristina Pato, known as “the Jimi Hendrix of Galicia,” who is such a powerhouse that she could probably upstage the Rolling Stones (in their prime). Read full review
88
The Seattle TimesMoira MacdonaldJun 23, 2016
By the end, you look at the musician’s faces — particularly Ma’s beaming smile — and find a truth: through music, we can always find our way home. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzJun 23, 2016
The music and the group are uplifting. The stories are inspiring. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranJun 9, 2016
As directed by Morgan Neville, "Strangers" turns out to be as concerned with emotion as with performance, spending much of its time investigating how so much joyous music was able to come out of exploration, disturbance, even pain. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe MorgensternJun 9, 2016
Morgan Neville’s documentary is a joyous revelation, a group portrait of superb musicians from all over the world offering music as an emblem of what people can do in these fractious times when they live in concert with one another. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeJun 6, 2016
A first-rate music film capturing a restless desire to communicate beyond the boundaries of any single idiom. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Robert HarrisJul 7, 2016
This unrealized focus is not to say that The Music of Strangers is not worth seeing. It is, for many reasons, not the least of which is Neville’s pacing and the beautiful camerawork, as well as the many fine performances. Read full review
75
Washington PostStephanie MerryJun 23, 2016
“Strangers” offers an inspiring look at creative people from very different walks of life who nonetheless communicate beautifully with one another. They don’t need to speak a common language: Their dazzling music says it all. Read full review
70
The New York TimesKen JaworowskiJun 9, 2016
To be sure, this loosely structured story needs a stronger outline; you’ll often wish for clarifying details on the group’s programming and its unfamiliar instruments. But then the music will play, and you’ll think this film wants for nothing. Read full review
70
Screen DailyDavid D'ArcyJun 6, 2016
The closer the documentary gets to individual musicians and their histories, the more engaging it becomes. Read full review
63
RogerEbert.comSusan WloszczynaJun 10, 2016
Whatever the flaws, The Music of Strangers does provide enough enticements to make it worth a sit, if only to see Mr. Rogers greet Ma in an old TV clip. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaJun 6, 2016
It resonates as a portrait of artists trying to figure out their own paths toward making valuable contributions to the world. Read full review
60
VarietyOwen GleibermanJun 9, 2016
The movie, despite enthralling moments, is so self-intoxicated by its blissed-out vision of global healing that it’s a little soft. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenJul 6, 2016
The film rarely demonstrates how the ideal actually works in practice. Personally, I would have liked to see a savage breast or two being charmed. Read full review
50
Village VoiceSimon AbramsJun 8, 2016
Neville briefly showcases individual musicians but never sticks with them long enough to highlight their skills. Read full review
More From This Movie

70 Critic Reviews

4.5 User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 72 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL