Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley
HBO | Release Date: November 18, 2013
CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
83
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 10 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
0
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
New York Magazine (Vulture)Matt Zoller SeitzNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: Whoopi Goldberg presents Moms Mabley is simple but perfect--one of those documentaries that's about what it seems to be about, but is also about something else. Read full review
100
NewsdayDiane WertsNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: The documentary cannily employs Goldberg's enthusiasm and some clever animations over Moms' audio routines to keep this lost legend's influence in the forefront. Read full review
83
The Detroit NewsTom LongNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: Moms Mabley is a fine appreciation of a remarkable life. Read full review
80
TV Guide MagazineMatt RoushNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: This tribute to the pioneering comic's life and legacy, with TV clips and audio excerpts (enhanced with crude animation) from her many comedy albums hold up surprisingly well. A rich roster of admiring celebrities weighs in. Read full review
80
Boston GlobeChristopher MutherNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: Goldberg’s interviews reveal Mabley’s influence, but true-to-form, it’s Mabley’s comedy routines that steal the show. Read full review
80
VarietyBrian LowryNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: The documentary goes beyond mere hazy tribute, offering parallel windows into the civil-rights era and the barriers women have faced in comedy. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesRobert LloydNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: It is an homage and a celebration, with something of a high-class homemade feel. Read full review
80
New York Daily NewsDavid HinckleyNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: Goldberg’s documentary doesn’t dwell on the what-ifs. It focuses on what a remarkable woman did accomplish, just by making us laugh. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubMolly EichelNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: Goldberg whets the appetite for what Mabley can do, but it’s Mabley, not Goldberg-as-director, who delivers. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleDavid WiegandNov 18, 2013
Season 1 Review: Interviews with Eddie Murphy, Joan Rivers, Sidney Poitier, Kathy Griffin, Harry Belafonte, Anne Meara, Bill Cosby and others provide ample evidence of Moms' enduring influence. Yet, even if you remember how great she was, you may find yourself wishing there were fewer testimonials and more footage of Moms performing. Read full review
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