72
Metascore
5 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The GuardianCath ClarkeThe GuardianCath ClarkeA Bunch of Amateurs is a thoughtful film about film-making and has some unexpectedly deep things to say too about camaraderie, community and male friendship – though there are a couple of women in the club’s ageing membership.
- 80The Observer (UK)Wendy IdeThe Observer (UK)Wendy IdeAs this terrific and very moving documentary shows, the society, fuelled by bickering, biscuits and cinephilia, is a lifeline for its members, who weather bereavements, loneliness and fiercely argued creative differences within its peeling walls. Lovely stuff.
- 70Little White LiesMarina AshiotiLittle White LiesMarina AshiotiHopkins eschews spectacle and sentimentality while also doing away with inventive storytelling devices. A character-driven, verité approach provides a deft-enough framework to handle historical sweep and intimate moments between the club members with equal steadiness.
- 70Screen DailyTim GriersonScreen DailyTim GriersonFeaturing some of the group’s lovably mediocre projects, the documentary neither ridicules their so-so talent nor tries to oversell the purity of their artistic aspirations. Instead, this is a slight, wistful shrug of a picture that’s filled with resignation but also a lot of fondness.
- 60Time OutTime OutLike a conversation with your grandparents, the film reaches points where it can be a little bit drawn out and repetitive. But when the curtain falls on A Bunch of Amateurs, you’ll really miss these character and their stories.