Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
The Samuel Goldwyn Company | Release Date: November 26, 1993 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
78
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
14
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Francois Girard’s “Thirty Two Short Films about Glenn Gould” brilliantly breaks with tradition and gives us a movie that actually inspires us to think about what it was like to be this man. Read full review
88
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
This is a movie to be savored by those who are familiar with the work of Glenn Gould, and an opportunity for those who aren't to explore the essence of a rare musical genius. It's an eclectic film, and an astonishing portrait. Read full review
88
Slant MagazineDerek Smith
From its rigorous and deliberately distancing structural gambit to its restless stylistic experimentations, Thirty Two Short Films proves that biopics needn’t color within the lines to effectively portray their subjects. Read full review
80
The New York TimesJanet Maslin
This film works hypnotically, with great subtlety and grace, in ways that are gratifyingly consistent with Gould's own thoughts about his music and his life. Read full review
80
The New YorkerAnthony Lane
The whole enterprise is designed to skirt the traditional traps of the music movie; instead of a laborious bio-pic, we get a sly, quick-witted meditation on a character always likely to elude our grasp. Read full review
80
VarietyLeonard Klady
An assured melange of dramatic re-creation, archival material and interviews, it is a uniquely entertaining venture. Read full review
80
Washington PostDesson Thomson
This fictional documentary's films-in-miniature -- subdued, engaging grace notes that run from 45 seconds to several minutes -- create a subtle, appropriately unconventional portrait of this eccentric man. Read full review
80
EmpireAngie Errigo
These episodic adventures are a joy to watch and although not all of them are as memorable as each other, each has an entertaining quality that means the film as a whole will stick with you for a long time. Feore is excellent as the pianist, even though you never actually see him play. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
In the end, the great thing about “Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould” is that rather than creating a desire to meet this formidable individual, it makes you feel as if in some way you actually had. Read full review
80
Time OutStaff (Not Credited)
What's most impressive is the simplicity and clarity of the enterprise - and, of course, the music. Read full review
80
The GuardianDerek Malcolm
The film is in the shape of 32 elegantly constructed sequences and balances [Gould's] music and his personality with rare skill. [14 Feb 1994, p.5]
75
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
This is a fascinating and easy-to-take set of musings on a fascinating artist. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeJay Carr
There are several kinds of wit at work here - Gould deserved no less - and they add up to an entertainingly offbeat evocation of a stimulating character whose wistful side is touchingly and glancingly evoked as well. [02 Feb 1994, p.66]
63
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
We never get much insight into this rather mysterious composer, a difficult task but one the movie seems to promise. [04 Feb 1994, p.G21]
50
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
At its best, 32 Short Films manages to convey something of Gould’s state of mind, often using the musician’s own words. Read full review
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