67
Metascore
12 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83The A.V. ClubBen KenigsbergThe A.V. ClubBen KenigsbergThe Final Member boasts a stranger-than-fiction subject so odd and funny it almost couldn’t miss. But Bekhor and Math make the film much more than a limp gag.
- 80VarietyEddie CockrellVarietyEddie CockrellThe Final Member finds hilarity in humanity.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeFunny, fascinating, and packing a surprisingly poignant twist, the doc will get plenty of free publicity and, for unsqueamish moviegoers, will live up to the hype.
- 80The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThis wonderfully weird documentary pinpoints the desire to preserve fleeting glories.
- 75The PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe PlaylistKevin JagernauthThe sincerity and honesty of the stories within, as odd as they are, make The Final Member worth seeking out.
- 70Village VoiceHeather BaysaVillage VoiceHeather Baysathe shock factor was to be expected from the get-go, and so it's not all that shocking. What is compelling, however, is the weird way this film demonstrates the supreme emotional effectiveness of a simple quest narrative.
- 70The DissolveNoel MurrayThe DissolveNoel MurrayDirectors Jonah Bekhor and Zach Math favor a deadpan, clear-eyed, strikingly simple approach that brings out both the humor and the pathos in the story.
- While very funny, The Final Member is also a compelling examination of society’s concept of masculinity and male identity, and an empathetic portrait of three men in the fading decline of their lives, staring at their own mortality. In the end, their obsession with leaving behind a legacy illustrates a universal truth for us all, and that’s no joke.
- 63Slant MagazineChuck BowenSlant MagazineChuck BowenA potential barroom joke blossoms into a surprisingly poignant portrait of three aging men wrestling with how to shed their mortal coil.
- 60New York Daily NewsNew York Daily NewsA phallocentric documentary could easily be nothing but snickers and mockery, but the directors offer a work filled with warmth, humor and humanism.