65
Metascore
10 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88Slant MagazineCarson LundSlant MagazineCarson LundRoberto Minervini's documentary is as quintessentially American a text as one could hope for in today's divided union.
- 80The GuardianNigel M SmithThe GuardianNigel M SmithHis fly on the wall approach never feels exploitative – in instances, it yields surprising empathy. In spite of his characters’ actions, Minervini miraculously captures traces of profound humanity.
- 80The New York TimesGlenn KennyThe New York TimesGlenn KennyWhatever genre it belongs to, The Other Side is powerful and disturbing.
- 75RogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireRogerEbert.comGodfrey CheshireIf it were possible to splice the DNA of William Faulkner and John Cassavetes, the resulting progeny might produce a film like Roberto Minervini’s The Other Side, an immersive, almost harrowingly naturalistic plunge into the lives of marginal Louisianans obsessed with guns, drugs and belligerent resentments.
- 70VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeWhereas Minervini’s previous pics seemed to radiate a warm empathy toward his subjects — perhaps merely a manifestation of his open-minded curiosity toward the extreme cultural difference he found peering into the less explored corners of Southern culture — The Other Side feels far more shocking in its portrayal.
- 67The Film StageAmanda WaltzThe Film StageAmanda WaltzUnlike Minervini’s previous outing, which gently unfolded through quiet, unstructured moments, the film feels far more scripted and staged, and, in effect, more shocking and exploitative.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterJordan MintzerThe Hollywood ReporterJordan MintzerThere are moments when The Other Side seems to traverse into arts-ploitation territory, and it’s ultimately hard to tell if the movie is trying to render its subjects with some humanity or otherwise if it's taking advantage of all these poor, beautiful losers.
- 50Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlIt's all shocking, of course, but it also often looks staged and performed rather than merely observed.
- 50The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Kate TaylorThe Globe and Mail (Toronto)Kate TaylorIn the end, the power of Minervini’s pseudo-fiction gives way to a much blander version of pseudo-reality.