78
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 91IndieWireChristian BlauveltIndieWireChristian BlauveltWatching At the Ready, a rich piece of journalism as well as an expertly assembled documentary, you think you’re watching what could have a riveting feature story in print. Instead, it’s a Pulitzer-worthy cover story in cinematic form.
- 88RogerEbert.comMonica CastilloRogerEbert.comMonica CastilloCrow’s camera captures the nuance of what these teens face and how law enforcement instructors and recruiters sell children on the idea of following in their footsteps.
- 80CineVueMatthew AndersonCineVueMatthew AndersonThe film isn’t without hope, but it lifts the lid of an ugly truth and asks the tough questions needed.
- 80Film ThreatKyle BainFilm ThreatKyle BainCrow and her crew accurately capture everyone’s emotions throughout and refuse to pull any punches along the way. At the Ready is honest, even in the moments when it becomes frustrating.
- 80VarietyTomris LafflyVarietyTomris LafflyAn unsettling, often tender and thoroughly well-timed film.
- 80TheWrapCarlos AguilarTheWrapCarlos AguilarAt the Ready plays like a frightening but necessary exposé of state-sanctioned copaganda targeting young people from marginalized backgrounds to groom them into instruments of their very oppressor.
- 78Austin ChronicleAustin ChronicleMasie Crow's Sundance-selected documentary thrives on providing such depth and nuance to very real students with very real experiences.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterDaniel FienbergThe Hollywood ReporterDaniel FienbergThe documentary isn’t as thorough or enlightening on border issues as something like Netflix’s Immigration Nation, but the young heroes make At the Ready a good vehicle through which many viewers will be able to process their own preconceptions and opinions.
- 58The Film StageOrla SmithThe Film StageOrla SmithWhat we get is a lot of good material presented in a rather straightforward manner.