The Punk Singer

Name: The Punk Singer
Genre: Documentary
Released: November 29, 2013
Duration: 80 min
Rating: 75
Cast: Carrie Brownstein, Joan Jett, Kathleen Hanna, Kim Gordon

2013

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Generally favorable reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Ratings

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The Punk Singer

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Movie Details & Credits

Sundance Selects | Release Date: November 29, 2013 | Not Rated

Starring: Carrie Brownstein, Joan Jett, Kathleen Hanna, Kim Gordon

Summary: Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill and dance-punk trio Le Tigre, rose to national attention as the reluctant but never shy voice of the riot grrrl movement. She became one of the most famously outspoken feminist icons, a cultural lightning rod. Her critics wished she would just shut-up, and her fans hoped she neverKathleen Hanna, lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill and dance-punk trio Le Tigre, rose to national attention as the reluctant but never shy voice of the riot grrrl movement. She became one of the most famously outspoken feminist icons, a cultural lightning rod. Her critics wished she would just shut-up, and her fans hoped she never would. So in 2005, when Hanna stopped shouting, many wondered why. [IFC Films]… Expand

Director: Sini Anderson

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 80 min

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Critic Reviews

Film.com Jenni Miller

Dec 3, 2013

The Punk Singer is a perfect storm. It is a love letter to Kathleen Hanna, to feminism, and to the fans, but it’s also just a damn good movie. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Marsha McCreadie

Dec 13, 2013

Is the movie too adulatory? It is not the most subtly layered documentary I've ever seen, but these days it's no longer verboten to take a stance in docs. And there is so much to be admired about Hanna. Plus…if you've never seen some of those songs performed…it's electrifying. Read full review

IndieWire Eric Kohn

Nov 16, 2013

Edited in a frenzied mashup of concert fragments and off-stage exchanges, The Punk Singer generally overcomes its rough production values by realizing the energy of Hanna's achievements in terms of her passion and physical prowess. Read full review

Marc Savlov

Dec 4, 2013

The Punk Singer (and the formation of the Julie Ruin) offers a welcome return to, if not the fray, then certainly the front – where, as every rebel girl worth her combat boots knows, girls belong. Read full review

Stephanie Merry

Dec 12, 2013

The Punk Singer, like the best documentaries, captures more than just its subject, fascinating though she may be. Anderson manages to capture the feel of an era and the excitement surrounding a fresh feminist voice. Read full review

Marc Mohan

Dec 5, 2013

Director Sini Anderson compiles interviews with Hanna and her husband, Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz, as well as archival footage, into an admiring portrait of a sometimes combative figure. Read full review

Drew Hunt

Nov 26, 2013

Sini Anderson's film may be another unimaginative fan letter, but at least Kathleen Hannah is worthy of such devotion. Read full review

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