The Source Family
Drag City | Release Date: May 1, 2013 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
62
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
5
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Portland OregonianMarc MohanMay 17, 2013
The documentary's soundtrack is composed entirely of Source Family music, and some of it's not half bad. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesBill ZweckerJun 20, 2013
Anyone interested in the appeal of cults and the psychological lure of a charismatic leader will appreciate The Source Family. Read full review
75
The PlaylistBrandon HarrisJun 5, 2013
The Source Family is a comprehensive and fair-minded look at the life and times of an inspired, mystified and possible deranged man. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineNick McCarthyMay 16, 2013
The research and elucidating synthesis on display effectively illuminate the pernicious aura of a lifestyle pursued by the yearning, lost souls of the time. Read full review
75
Boston GlobePeter KeoughMay 9, 2013
More than just a footnote to a wayward period of cultural history, The Source Family portrays an American type, the transcendent charlatan, a latter-day Gatsby, not of material riches but of the soul. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesGlenn WhippMay 9, 2013
Baker's transformation from "spiritual father" to megalomaniac follows a familiar path of brainwashing and hedonism. Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeMay 1, 2013
The Source does hold enough anthropological value to please some audiences. Despite lacking the recognition factor and lurid tragedy of a phenomenon like Jonestown, the story should attract viewers on the small screen. Read full review
60
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisApr 30, 2013
Unearthing a decent sample of these former members, as well as a wealth of archival film and photographs, the directors elicit testimony that’s diversely sharp, spacey, nostalgic and heartbreaking. Read full review
60
Time OutMichael AtkinsonApr 30, 2013
The latest addition to the booming library of docs archiving the Nixon-Nam era, this magnetic pop-history memorial has everything: free sex, celebrity, psychedelic rock, polygamy and beyond. Read full review
58
The A.V. ClubSam AdamsMay 1, 2013
Watching the movie is like riffling through an author’s index cards: It’s all detail and no big picture. Read full review
40
Village VoiceMichelle OrangeApr 30, 2013
With some focus and critical perspective, The Source Family might have documented more than a spectacle of its time. Read full review
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