51
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The New York TimesAndy WebsterThe New York TimesAndy WebsterThe luminaries in “21” pay deserving tribute to Mr. Linklater. Soon, perhaps, so will the Academy
- 80New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierNew York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierThere are great clips and good insight, and it’s all as loose and cool as an Austin night out.
- 67The A.V. ClubJesse HassengerThe A.V. ClubJesse HassengerThose who already admire the director may not find a stunning level of insight, and the curious but unindoctrinated would be better served by starting with one his actual films rather than a rundown of them. But there’s a certain satisfaction in a rundown of a career as rich and varied as Linklater’s, not unlike the pleasure of watching a well-edited Oscar tribute reel.
- 63RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzRogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzIf nothing else, McConaughey's goofball autodidact's intensity certifies that there is, in fact, a "Matthew McConaughey" type of character, and that McConaughey originated it.
- 50Village VoiceMichelle OrangeVillage VoiceMichelle OrangeThe assessments offered in 21 Years manage to feel like too little arriving a little late.
- 50Austin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenAustin ChronicleMarjorie BaumgartenIt’s perhaps surprising that there aren’t more Linklater documentaries out there, considering how substantial, influential, and plain f---ing brilliant his body of work is. In the meantime, 21 Years will have to do.
- 40The DissolveMike D'AngeloThe DissolveMike D'AngeloWhat keeps 21 Years from feeling roughly that long, in addition to the clips (fun fact: Before Sunset’s ending can inspire tears even when shown out of context, with talking heads chattering over the dialogue), is the occasional offbeat moment during interviews.
- 40The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeAn amiable but wholly unnecessary movie that plays like a feature-length version of those reels one watches while eating rubber chicken at a banquet honoring a much-loved artist.
- 38Slant MagazineCarson LundSlant MagazineCarson LundOf greatest damage to the doc's coherence is its wholehearted belief that its subjects are offering firsthand reports worth hearing.
- 30VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter Debruge21 Years: Richard Linklater makes for a disappointingly hollow hagiography: gushy, superficial and strangely overdue — arriving significantly later than its title prescribes.