62
Metascore
11 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83Portland OregonianMarc MohanPortland OregonianMarc MohanThe documentary's soundtrack is composed entirely of Source Family music, and some of it's not half bad.
- 75Boston GlobePeter KeoughBoston GlobePeter KeoughMore than just a footnote to a wayward period of cultural history, The Source Family portrays an American type, the transcendent charlatan, a latter-day Gatsby, not of material riches but of the soul.
- 75Slant MagazineNick McCarthySlant MagazineNick McCarthyThe research and elucidating synthesis on display effectively illuminate the pernicious aura of a lifestyle pursued by the yearning, lost souls of the time.
- 75The PlaylistBrandon HarrisThe PlaylistBrandon HarrisThe Source Family is a comprehensive and fair-minded look at the life and times of an inspired, mystified and possible deranged man.
- 70Los Angeles TimesGlenn WhippLos Angeles TimesGlenn WhippBaker's transformation from "spiritual father" to megalomaniac follows a familiar path of brainwashing and hedonism.
- 60Time OutTime OutThe latest addition to the booming library of docs archiving the Nixon-Nam era, this magnetic pop-history memorial has everything: free sex, celebrity, psychedelic rock, polygamy and beyond.
- 60The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisUnearthing a decent sample of these former members, as well as a wealth of archival film and photographs, the directors elicit testimony that’s diversely sharp, spacey, nostalgic and heartbreaking.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Source does hold enough anthropological value to please some audiences. Despite lacking the recognition factor and lurid tragedy of a phenomenon like Jonestown, the story should attract viewers on the small screen.
- 40Village VoiceMichelle OrangeVillage VoiceMichelle OrangeWith some focus and critical perspective, The Source Family might have documented more than a spectacle of its time.