72
Metascore
23 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90Village VoiceChris PackhamVillage VoiceChris PackhamBrian Knappenberger's The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz connects the dots of Swartz's past, assembling a vivid portrait of a sensitive genius with a strong moral sense.
- 90The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeAll but a must-see for anyone who knows enough to care about the way laws govern information transfer in the digital age, Brian Knappenberger's The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz is an inspiring account of the life of, and an infuriating chronology of the persecution of, one of the Internet's most impressive prodigies.
- 90VarietyGeoff BerkshireVarietyGeoff BerkshireThe Internet’s Own Boy is a beautifully crafted film that opens a window on a world not everyone has entered yet, and exposes ways in which both the legal system and the U.S. government is lagging hopelessly behind technology.
- 75Slant MagazineNick PriggeSlant MagazineNick PriggeThe film is far from a technical matter, fiercely promoting Swartz's legacy and challenging us with the same questions its central subject was compelled to ask.
- 75The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloThe A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloWhile Swartz almost certainly would not have been sentenced to 50 years in prison, a system that tries to scare harmless do-gooders into submission does America no credit. In this case, it succeeded all too horribly well.
- 63New York PostKyle SmithNew York PostKyle SmithThis one-sided documentary, told entirely by supporters, paints Swartz as a hero pursued by malign forces.
- 60Time OutKeith UhlichTime OutKeith UhlichThis is a movie that preaches to its rafters-raising choir.
- 60The DissolveScott TobiasThe DissolveScott TobiasIt’s a call to action in the form of an adoring profile, which is effective (and affecting) strategy, but narrow, propagandistic filmmaking.
- 60The TelegraphAmber WilkinsonThe TelegraphAmber WilkinsonThe subject is an important one but would benefit from a shorter running time.