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Decline of Western Civilization Part III, The

EMAILPRINTSpheeris Films Inc.

Decline of Western Civilization Part III, The reviews
77
10.0 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 3 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Documentary

Written by:

Directed by: Penelope Spheeris

Release Date:
Theatrical: July 7, 2000

Running Time: 86 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: Not rated

Starring Flea

Penelope Spheeris's third installment in her documentary series examining the Los Angeles punk rock scene in the late 1990s.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

New York Post Hannah Brown

Those with the stomach to sit through Decline will be rewarded with a lively, masterful documentary.

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88

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

Overwhelmingly powerful.

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83

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Unlike the first two Decline films, this one is only tangentially concerned with music.

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80

Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan

With her unblinking but nonjudgmental eye, Spheeris doesn't shy away from the horrifying, at times violent messes these kids make of their lives, but she is always sensitive to the pain behind everything, to the unhappy futility of squandered potential.

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80

The New York Times A.O. Scott

Best and most touching when it shows how willing punk is to eat its young.

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80

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

Spheeris, who includes her offscreen questions, evidently sympathizes with her subjects, though this doesn't stop her from pointing out their hypocrisy.

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70

Village Voice Jessica Winter

Spheeris gives every indication of having gotten too close to her material, but her film's overall air of discombobulation is poignant in itself.

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60

TV Guide Editor

Spheeris succeeds in creating a touching portrait, although the depressing nature of their dead-end, emotionally numb lives offers little hope for a cheerful resolution.

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50

Christian Science Monitor David Sterritt

There's lots of atmosphere and information to be gained, but stay away unless you can tolerate graphic plunges into the wildest kinds of youthful excess.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 10.0 (out of 10) based on 3 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Michael O. gave it a 10:
Yeah, when I look back at myself in that doc. it is pretty depressing, but not every one in that movie was a totaly waste. Thank you. Pinwheel.

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