69
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesGlenn KennyThe New York TimesGlenn Kenny[A] heady, fascinating movie.
- 75TheWrapAlonso DuraldeTheWrapAlonso DuraldeThere’s not a lot in My Psychedelic Love Story that’s necessarily going to grab viewers who aren’t already interested in the era and in the notable figures in LSD history. But as a spotlight for a woman who knows how to spin a yarn – and as an inducement to pick up a copy of her memoir – this new documentary definitely finds its groove.
- 75Washington PostAnn HornadayWashington PostAnn HornadayLuckily, Morris caught up with Harcourt-Smith before she left for the next stop: She’s the best thing about My Psychedelic Love Story, and a far more sympathetic and compelling character than the man she almost risked her life for.
- 75RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyRogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyThere's enough material here to fill an entire multi-part docu-series, but My Psychedelic Love Story is an intriguing and often-humorous look at these crazy events, anchored by Harcourt-Smith's presence. She’s the reason to see it. You can understand why nobody who met her ever forgot her.
- 75The Film StageDavid KatzThe Film StageDavid KatzHarcourt-Smith’s story is ultimately tragic, but still triumphant. She retains nothing but integrity, whilst her associates were on a path to extinguish all of theirs.
- 70Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonWall Street JournalJohn AndersonMr. Morris is among the most intellectual of documentary makers, but on an artisanal level his trademark is the head-on confrontation, the face-to-face interview. In refining that process, he developed the Interrotron, which enables him to interview a subject eye-to-eye while still having that subject look directly into the camera.
- 60Film ThreatAlex SavelievFilm ThreatAlex SavelievMorris utilizes psychedelic neon colors, bold titles, and a hallucinatory score to emphasize the craziness of her life. He has devilish fun piecing together Joanna’s fractured past. It just feels like, in his search for Truth, he’s lost his way a little this time.
- 50Slant MagazineChuck BowenSlant MagazineChuck BowenIn Morris’s best films, such as The B-Side: Elsa Dorfman’s Portrait Photography, there’s a sense that the director is truly simpatico with his subjects. In My Psychedelic Love Story, though, Morris lets a fading never-quite-legend blather her way into a trap.
- 50VarietyOwen GleibermanVarietyOwen GleibermanWhen you watch a documentary, some talking heads are more arresting than others, and Joanna Harcourt-Smith, seated before Morris’ camera, seems like a supporting player who’s been elevated to the lead.