67
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The Hollywood ReporterDuane ByrgeThe Hollywood ReporterDuane ByrgeAmerican Promise shows the emotional toll that each boy endures, not only from the image that their privileged peers have of minority males but, accordingly, their own lack of confidence.
- 80Los Angeles TimesKenneth TuranLos Angeles TimesKenneth TuranBecause the stories are so specific, and because they play out over such a long period of time, it is hard not to be fascinated by this intimate look at how particular families deal with the great parental challenge of shepherding their children through the all-important educational experience.
- 75The PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe documentary is often fascinating, even as it eschews any kind of traditional narrative.
- 70VarietyGeoff BerkshireVarietyGeoff BerkshireAmerican Promise succeeds in touching on a wealth of subjects without overreaching.
- 67The A.V. ClubBen KenigsbergThe A.V. ClubBen KenigsbergUltimately, American Promise seems split between a personal perspective and a broader one. It’s a bold experiment that’s also a textbook case of filmmakers being too close to their material.
- 63Slant MagazineSlant MagazineThe documentary's lack of a cohesive thesis may frustrate at times, but its power lies in its exposition of the mundane.
- 63New York PostFarran Smith NehmeNew York PostFarran Smith NehmeIt’s a baggy movie, with some things (such as whether Idris taking Ritalin in high school improved his performance) unexplained, and it may appeal most to those raising kids themselves.
- 60The DissolveMike D'AngeloThe DissolveMike D'AngeloAmerican Promise, shot over a period of 13 years, is by no means a wasted effort. At the same time, though, it’s hard not to wonder whether directors Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson (who are married) wound up with a film that even remotely resembles whatever vague idea they had in mind back in 1999.
- 60Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearWhile Stephenson and Brewster’s big-picture attempt to tackle a sociopolitical issue from the most personal of perspectives lacks the state-of-the-nation impact of that landmark doc, it doesn’t mean you won’t feel the pleasure of these kids’ triumphs, the pain of their tragedies or the pressures of ambition, affecting parents as much as students.
- 60The New York TimesManohla DargisThe New York TimesManohla DargisRace is raised as a possible reason for Idris’s and Seun’s problems, and then other potential determinants (a learning disorder, illness) are introduced. But the filmmakers don’t engage with these life events and issues: They just line them up as if their significance were transparent.