83
Metascore
25 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- Neville unearths a treasure trove of archival TV, concert and film footage featuring many of these vocalists in their heyday, balancing the material with perfectly-lit contemporary studio interviews and performances shot in pristine digital cinematography, supplemented by more informal scenes depicting the frequent challenges of these musicians' careers.
- 88Rolling StonePeter TraversRolling StonePeter TraversSometimes it's racism; sometimes bum luck; sometimes it's producer Phil Spector putting Love's voice in another singer's mouth. You watch. You hear the gospel spoken in the voices of these women. And you marvel.
- 85Film.comWilliam GossFilm.comWilliam GossA well-polished production with a remarkable soundtrack.
- 80VarietyPeter DebrugeVarietyPeter DebrugeFor most of its running time, this personality-packed docu is nothing short of absorbing as it recaps the essential role African-American background singers played in shaping the sound of 20th-century pop music.
- 80Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearThe sisterhood who have made this an art form mostly remain unsung heroes, as it were, of the hit parade. Their collective bow is long overdue.
- 80Village VoiceErnest HardyVillage VoiceErnest HardyIt does what the most powerful films and music have always done, which is to spark contemplation of our own lives and choices, and our place in the world, while also stoking compassion and empathy for lives far removed from our own.
- 75Slant MagazineTomas HachardSlant MagazineTomas HachardThis joyous documentary leaves us wanting to immediately seek out the incredible, sometimes unfamiliar music we've just heard.
- 75McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreIt’s still a welcome, entertaining and overdue delivery of credit where credit was and is due.
- 70New York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinNew York Magazine (Vulture)David EdelsteinYou gasp at the ecstatic convergence of lung power and spirit.