87
Metascore
32 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 100Village VoiceJ. HobermanVillage VoiceJ. HobermanA tale of sadness and hysteria so raw that it bleeds.
- 100New York PostLou LumenickNew York PostLou LumenickCaouette has used art, wit and a huge heart to forge his experiences into an unqualified masterpiece.
- 90The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThe Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenLayering soundtrack and visuals in an intricate collage of rich emotional texture, he (Jonathan Caouette) displays an exhilarating talent.
- 90The New York TimesDana StevensThe New York TimesDana StevensCertainly one of the strangest and most interesting movies of the year, and I suspect that in years to come a number of other strange and interesting movies will show traces of its influence.
- 88Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversThe result is a film that defies description. I'd call it some kind of miracle.
- 88New York Daily NewsJami BernardNew York Daily NewsJami BernardTarnation represents a breakthrough in the possibilities of the personal film as a mix of poetry and journalism. It's also harrowing as hell.
- 80New York Magazine (Vulture)Peter RainerNew York Magazine (Vulture)Peter RainerBy all odds, Tarnation should have been an unwatchable, masochistic morass, but Caouette's love for the broken Renee--which is the true subject of the film--is awe-inspiring.
- 80The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasCaouette's shattering Tarnation represents a landmark in personal filmmaking: It finally realizes the digital dream of a raw, unsanctioned glimpse into the soul.
- 70The New RepublicStanley KauffmannThe New RepublicStanley KauffmannCaouette has opened up a case history vividly, but he has left us without any conclusions, not even with much enlightening empathy. Something more than truth--dare one say "mere truth"?--is needed.
- 70VarietyDennis HarveyVarietyDennis HarveyGetting so close to real-life mental illness, via footage that spans many years, renders Tarnation a uniquely potent experience.