76
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreBe Natural, from the moment of release, becomes one of the seminal documentaries on early film history and must-see movie watching for any serious cinephile.
- 84TheWrapApril WolfeTheWrapApril WolfeEvery subject shares genuine enthusiasm after watching Guy-Blaché’s work, and as messy as “Be Natural” can be at times, with that frenetic pace of info delivery coming from all directions at once, it’s actually the natural tone and pace of a creator who’s excited by their subject matter.
- 83The Film StageDan MeccaThe Film StageDan MeccaAn essential watch for cinephiles and beyond, let Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché be the first step in your discovery of a talented artist that had as much to do with the innovation of cinema as those already firmly established in the canon of the craft.
- 80Los Angeles TimesKatie WalshLos Angeles TimesKatie WalshWhat starts as a biography turns into a detective thriller as Green crisscrosses the globe, searching for clues as to why Guy-Blaché has been forgotten.
- 80Film ThreatLorry KiktaFilm ThreatLorry KiktaEssential viewing for those who want a complete perspective on the history of film. Tons of information is packed into an hour and thirty-seven minutes and much of it I didn’t know before watching.
- 80The New York TimesA.O. ScottThe New York TimesA.O. ScottBy the end of “Be Natural,” you won’t only have a clear idea of who this remarkable woman was; you may well have acquired a new taste in old movies.
- 75Washington PostAnn HornadayWashington PostAnn HornadayThe fact that Guy-Blaché isn’t a household name — even after making nearly 1,000 films — is due pure and simply to sexism, and literally being written out of history, either through animus or laziness. Thank goodness “Be Natural” is here to set a brilliant, distinguished, invaluable record straight.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterLeslie FelperinThe Hollywood ReporterLeslie FelperinAs a teaching and consciousness-raising tool, it will be an indispensable resource.
- 63RogerEbert.comMonica CastilloRogerEbert.comMonica CastilloWhile the documentary’s heart is in the right place, and loaded with many historical goodies for silent movie fans and those interested in championing women directors, the way “Be Natural” presents its findings feels unorganized — like walking through a busy museum exhibit with too many objects, not all of them especially necessary.
- 50VarietyJay WeissbergVarietyJay WeissbergThe enterprise would be something to celebrate if the movie itself weren’t so flawed, not just in scholarly terms but in her mania for visualizing seemingly every phone call she made in the hunt for Guy-Blaché material. Sadly, all these problems overwhelm Green’s noteworthy success in tracking down previously unknown documents and photos.