87
Metascore
8 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisWith marvelous discipline, Mr. Shapiro crams a wealth of material into a tight 77 minutes, smoothly communicating the group effort required to achieve the perfect shot.
- 100VarietyRonnie ScheibVarietyRonnie ScheibBrief Encounters reps a must-see for art lovers.
- 90Village VoiceVillage VoiceCrewdson and others (including Russell Banks and Laurie Simmons) speak eloquently about his project, but it's the on-set agonies - to achieve the fleeting expression here, dark kiss of light there, and the peculiar relief they bring our maestro - that fascinate.
- 90Los Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyLos Angeles TimesBetsy SharkeyIt is a rare thing to witness the creative process. But in the excellent new documentary Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters, filmmaker Ben Shapiro gives us fly-on-the-wall access over a 10-year period to an acclaimed artist as he envisions, designs and executes his surreal commentary on small-town American life in the form of an epic photo installation, "Beneath the Roses."
- 88Slant MagazineSlant MagazineBrief Encounters is great entertainment.
- 75New York PostFarran Smith NehmeNew York PostFarran Smith NehmeThese elisions give an odd feeling to a film so long in the making. Crewdson's work ultimately begins to seem less enigmatic than he is himself.
- 75Boston GlobeBoston GlobeCrewdson's work is distinctive, and this film does a great job helping us understand the specific nature of his vision.
- 60Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearCreepy doesn't begin to describe these masterworks of control freakery, nor does beautiful - they look as if they're glowing from the inside out, even as Crewdson's scenes of furtive common people make viewers feel like voyeurs.