Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am

Name: Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am
Genre: Documentary
Released: June 21, 2019
Duration: 120 min
Rating: 82
Cast: Angela Davis, Farah Griffin, Fran Lebowitz, Hilton Als, Oprah Winfrey

2019

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Universal acclaim based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Ratings

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Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am: Working Woman

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Movie Details & Credits

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: June 21, 2019 | Not Rated

Starring: Angela Davis, Farah Griffin, Fran Lebowitz, Hilton Als, Oprah Winfrey, Peter Sellars, Robert Gottlieb, Russell Banks, Toni Morrison, Walter Mosley

Summary: From her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to ‘70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of herFrom her childhood in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio to ‘70s-era book tours with Muhammad Ali, from the front lines with Angela Davis to her own riverfront writing room, Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers, critics and colleagues on an exploration of race, America, history and the human condition as seen through the prism of her own work. Inspired to write because no one took a “little black girl” seriously, Morrison reflects on her lifelong deconstruction of the master narrative. Woven together with a rich collection of art, history, literature and personality, the film includes discussions about her many critically acclaimed novels, including “The Bluest Eye,” “Sula” and “Song of Solomon,” her role as an editor of iconic African-American literature and her time teaching at Princeton University. [Magnolia Pictures]… Expand

Director: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 120 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Helen O'Hara

Mar 6, 2020

She’s charming, authoritative, and ferociously intelligent. ‘I think she captured the essence of what it means to be human, to be alive and to be here on this Earth,’ says Winfrey. She’s speaking about one of Morrison’s characters, but it goes double for the author. Read full review

100

Gary Goldstein

Jun 19, 2019

To have the towering Morrison, now 88, willing to face your cameras — head on, in fact — and tell her story as candidly, heartily and humanely as she does here, is a singular gift that keeps on giving throughout the film’s two captivating hours. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Jul 12, 2019

Toni Morrison is an absolutely beautiful wordsmith and a beautiful force on multiple fronts, and if this documentary is an unabashed love letter to her life and work, I say: Why. Not. Read full review

Candice Frederick

Jun 17, 2019

Though Toni Morrison: The Pieces that I Am comes from a white storyteller, it distinctly and profoundly reflects the point of view of the subject herself. What we see is a woman who has always been in charge of her own narrative, no matter who wants to share it. Read full review

John Bleasdale

Mar 5, 2020

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ timely documentary on the Nobel Prize-winning novelist is a persuasive argument for rereading Morrison if you’ve already read her works – and if you haven’t, an imperative to get to it. Read full review

Alan Zilberman

Jun 24, 2019

Morrison, at 88, is as clear-eyed and sharp as ever. What’s most surprising about her interviews is not her candor, but her humor, revealed, as she speaks, in a way that makes you want to lean closer. (Her gifts as a storyteller are not just on the page.) Read full review

A.O. Scott

Jun 19, 2019

It’s less a biography than an extended essay, which is entirely a good thing. If you want a thorough documentation of everything Morrison has done and everyone she knows, there’s always Wikipedia. But if you’d prefer an argument for her importance and a sense of her presence, then you won’t be disappointed. Read full review

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User Reviews

Slovenly_Muse

Jul 19, 2019

Part personal essay, part biography, this is a fascinating, inspiring portrait of one of America's greatest writers. It helps to have some familiarity with her work, but even if you don't, you'll leave with a new respect for this remarkable author.

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