They Shot the Piano Player
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: November 24, 2023 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
74
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
2
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Original-CinKaren GordonMar 14, 2024
Most importantly, what the film really accomplishes, is bringing back to life Tenório Cerqueira Junior, a terrifically talented musician whose career was ended abruptly. They’ve restored his work and his legacy. It's no small thing. Read full review
88
Boston GlobeOdie HendersonMar 7, 2024
While uncertainty remains about Tenório’s horrible fate, it’s never in doubt how much he was beloved. “They Shot the Piano Player” is a tribute to the musician and to those who knew him best. See it more than once, and hope the theater plays it loud. Read full review
75
Washington PostTy BurrMar 6, 2024
Under the supervision of animation director Carlos Léon Sancha, the film is a graceful, somewhat overbusy visual treat, a playful riot of colors anchored by a crisp sense of line. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzMar 6, 2024
Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba’s film is a lot of things, almost all of them good. It’s a vibrant, colorful, animated movie. It’s a serious documentary about political oppression and violence. It’s a loving exploration of Brazilian bossa nova. The soundtrack is incredible. Read full review
75
Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsFeb 29, 2024
The film basically and improbably works, even with some limitations. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzFeb 26, 2024
Over the years, Trueba has quietly, steadily built one of the most stylistically diverse filmographies in world cinema. This is another terrific entry. Try to see it on a big screen if you can. And if you can't, be sure to play it loud. Read full review
70
The New York TimesClaire ShafferFeb 22, 2024
Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba’s They Shot the Piano Player is an astoundingly vibrant animated project, fitting for its subject matter. Read full review
63
Slant MagazineWilliam RepassNov 20, 2023
Unlike, say, Richard Linklater’s Waking Life, which takes advantage of rotoscoping to lend a unique style to the animation depending on who’s talking and about what, They Shot the Piano Player aims for more stylistic continuity than one would expect, given the free-wheeling soundtrack. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenSep 20, 2023
Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal tackle a tricky balancing act in their new feature, celebrating the intoxicating lilt of the bossa nova and also investigating the devastating brutality of state terrorism. It’s a testament to their talent as filmmakers that, for the most part, they manage to pull it off. Read full review
80
VarietyChris WillmanSep 20, 2023
Jazz and animation make for strong bedfellows in They Shot the Piano Player, a film from Spanish directors Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal that represents an intriguing hybrid in all sorts of ways. Read full review
42
IndieWireChristian BlauveltSep 14, 2023
The result is an aggravating missed opportunity to tell a story that absolutely needs to be told to an audience that needs to hear it. Read full review
50
The Film StageAnkit JhunjhunwalaSep 13, 2023
The animation on offer is also strictly low-fi, something we might charitably call relatable––it seems indistinct from what members of the audience might be able to produce should they put some effort into it. Read full review
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