75
Metascore
29 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100ConsequenceDan CaffreyConsequenceDan CaffreyDickey pivots between storyteller, philosopher, hopeless romantic, philanderer, asshole, loyal friend, and belligerent drunk all the way up until the very end.
- 83Entertainment WeeklyChris NashawatyEntertainment WeeklyChris NashawatyBlaze isn’t a flashy movie, which seems about right since Hawke’s closest mentors and collaborators (Richard Linklater, for example) aren’t known for their look-at-me personalities. Like the real-life Foley, they’re storytellers and yarn spinners first and foremost, fame and fortune be damned.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeFoley's cult may never grow as big as his most ardent fans would like. But Hawke and Rosen and Dickey have given the man something better than posthumous record sales.
- 80VarietyOwen GleibermanVarietyOwen GleibermanBlaze, which leaps around in time, telling Blaze Foley’s story by zeroing in on a handful of disparate moments, is beautifully made. It’s an organic slice of life — raw and untidy, deceptively aimless but always exploratory.
- 80Film ThreatHunter LanierFilm ThreatHunter LanierAs far as romantic laments of starving artists go, Blaze is one of the better ones.
- 78Austin ChronicleAustin ChronicleWhat separates Blaze from its peers, however, is the obvious affection the filmmakers have for their assortment of damaged characters. In Ben Dickey, Hawke and company have found a remarkable physical and musical double for Foley.
- 75The PlaylistJordan RuimyThe PlaylistJordan RuimyOverall, this is astute, fascinating filmmaking from Hawke who believes the small details are all part of the bigger picture, the deeper experience of knowing who Blaze Foley was.
- 75The Film StageDan MeccaThe Film StageDan MeccaThis is an interesting, frustrating man to focus on, all the way up to his muddled end. That Hawke’s film will introduce a new audience to his music and soulful tenure feels like its own victory.
- 70New York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinNew York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinBlaze’s best scene features Kris Kristofferson as Foley’s once-abusive, now near-senile father and Alynda Segarra as his sister, who escaped the old man’s malevolent influence by finding Jesus.
- 67IndieWireDavid EhrlichIndieWireDavid EhrlichFoley never wanted to be a star, shining only for itself. He wanted to be a legend, and live forever. Thanks to Ethan Hawke’s slippery, whiskey-soaked biopic of the late musician — and newcomer Benjamin Dickey’s casually spellbinding lead performance — he’s closer than ever to getting his wish.