68
Metascore
18 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83The A.V. ClubJosh ModellThe A.V. ClubJosh ModellAs a documentary, Ask Dr. Ruth has it kind of easy: It’s got an enchanting subject eager to tell a fascinating story.
- 75Boston GlobePeter KeoughBoston GlobePeter Keough[A] peripatetic and ultimately poignant documentary.
- 75San Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonSan Francisco ChronicleG. Allen JohnsonWhite, who has done documentaries about Serena Williams, Beatles secretary Freda Kelly and the Netlfix series “The Keepers,” is an efficient storyteller who keeps things moving. There is a wealth of archival material, and clips from her 1980s television life. He neatly makes the case for Westheimer; openly talking about sex is now commonplace, but not when she started.
- 75TheWrapRobert AbeleTheWrapRobert AbeleWhen Ask Dr. Ruth is over, you’ll believe a human being can be as special as any computer-generated effect.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterDaniel FienbergThe Hollywood ReporterDaniel FienbergAlthough it runs out of creativity well before the end of its 100-minute running time, it still coaxes ample good will out of the remarkable life and boundless energy of its 4-foot-7 heroine.
- 63Slant MagazinePeter GoldbergSlant MagazinePeter GoldbergAt its best, the film is a testament to how Ruth Westheimer’s practiced decency was literally a saving grace during the Reagan era.
- 60VarietyAmy NicholsonVarietyAmy NicholsonThe irony at the core of the Dr. Ruth persona is that the maverick who made the bedroom public is herself incredibly private, and while she encourages women to get intimate with their bodies, she’s not in touch with her own emotions. Still, she is vocal about respecting boundaries, and White acquiesces, trusting that the facts of Westheimer’s life say plenty about her peppy workaholism.
- 60Film ThreatLorry KiktaFilm ThreatLorry KiktaAsk Dr. Ruth is a lovely tribute to the renowned sex therapist, but it’s not blazing any trails of its own as its subject matter has. As a documentary, it’s pretty formulaic.
- 60The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisThe New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisA movie that feels more like an encomium than a thoughtful probe of a brilliantly mutinous mind.