79
Metascore
22 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Christian Science MonitorDavid SterrittChristian Science MonitorDavid SterrittThis movie equivalent of Robert Rauschenberg's artwork "Erased de Kooning" is funny, ornery, and ultimately inspiring.
- 90TimeRichard CorlissTimeRichard CorlissThe next time you hear a director complain about the studio or his stars or the weather or whatever, think of what Jorgen Leth achieved with Lars von Trier as his boss -- when five obstructions became five splendid opportunities.
- 88Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversKeep "Survivor" and "Fear Factor," and give me this spellbinding mind teaser, the ultimate game for movie buffs.
- 88New York Daily NewsNew York Daily NewsA sensational oddity. It sheds light on the creative process, on filmmaking and on the durability of friendship and professional respect despite the odds.
- 80VarietyDavid StrattonVarietyDavid StrattonThough billed as a documentary, The Five Obstructions doesn't easily fall into any category. Perhaps it's best described as a game, in which a pair of Danish film directors from different generations spar with one another in a highly civilized, and surprisingly entertaining, fashion.
- 80The New York TimesDana StevensThe New York TimesDana StevensWatching The Five Obstructions is at once like witnessing two chess masters playing dominoes and like spying on a series of therapy sessions. Mr. von Trier clearly sees himself as a maniacal psychoanalyst.
- 80TV Guide MagazineKen FoxTV Guide MagazineKen FoxEven those who dismiss Von Trier as a talented sadist might reconsider after seeing this revealing and ultimately poignant documentary -- and the funny thing is, on the surface it's not even about him.
- 70The A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe A.V. ClubNoel MurrayThe film is also valuable for raising awareness about Leth, whose work hasn't been as widely recognized as that of his European contemporaries, but who now makes an impressive case for his skills, five times over.
- 70Village VoiceJ. HobermanVillage VoiceJ. HobermanAn unclassifiable film-school exercise--one part documentary, one part psychodrama, and one part mock manifesto--The Five Obstructions mainly serves to illuminate the game-like nature of Lars von Trier's aesthetic project.
- 60Film ThreatFilm ThreatAs Leth overcomes each obstacle set before him, the film becomes a work of extraordinary artistry, intellectual exhilaration, emotional uplift, and outright affection.