The film brings us vividly inside the life - and head - of its determined hero, Bud Clayman, as he depicts the process of what he calls "getting normal."
Through it all, Clayman struggles to keep himself, and OC87, on track - and it's easy to cheer his ultimate triumph.
70
Village Voice
Village Voice
To be sure, there are more artful and focused documentaries, but OC87 still stands as moving evidence that Clayman's trust in the value of the filmmaking process ultimately outweighed the extreme difficulty he says he has making even the smallest decisions.
This moving, penetrating documentary records his attempt to describe his conditions, confront them and learn to manage them.
70
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeFore
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeFore
An eye-opener about what it's like to live with a variety of mental illnesses, including obsessive-compulsive disorder -- and, however tenuously, to recover from them.
Yet as viewers, we may instinctively crave more than what Clayman alone can offer us. Segments where he cedes screen time to others, including the bipolar General Hospital actor and mental-health advocate Maurice Benard, are a relief.
63
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
A tender, painful, and frustrating work of vulnerability, and because of this in some ways deflects critical commentary.
60
Time Out
Time Out
The film's depiction of [Clayman's] reality is rendered with cinematic brio and forceful clarity.
60
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
Clayman, who co-directed with filmmaker friends, is fascinating company.