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Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing
EMAILPRINTThe Weinstein Company

Generally favorable reviews
Based on 27 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 35 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie >
Movie Info
Genre(s): Documentary
Written by:
Directed by:
Barbara Kopple
Cecilia Peck
Release Date:
Theatrical: October 27, 2006
DVD: February 20, 2007
Running Time: 99 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for language
Starring Natalie Maines, Emily Robison, Martie Maguire, Rick Rubin, George W. Bush, and Simon Renshaw
At a time when the United States is fighting for democracy and freedom in another country, this documentary raises questions about our own right to freedom of speech and the negative consequences it sometimes has. (The Weinstein Company)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Harlan County, USA
MUSIC: Dixie Chicks: Home Dixie Chicks: Taking The Long Way
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database Official Studio Site
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...
San Francisco Chronicle Joel Selvin
Documentary filmmakers pray for something to happen to their subjects when the cameras are rolling, and two-time Academy Award-winning documentarian Kopple struck gold when Maines told a crowd on the opening night of the band's first European tour that she was "ashamed" that President Bush was from Texas.
Read Full Review >Baltimore Sun Michael Sragow
The Dixie Chicks may never regain their prolonged eminence on the country charts. However, the art and entertainment value of this movie (and of their latest album) is off the charts in the best way.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer
The film may be subtitled "Shut Up & Sing," but you can't sing with your mouth closed.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Angel Cohn
While it's unlikely that her film will sway former fans who swore off the band for political reasons, that seems beside the point.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone Peter Travers
For three years, the camera focuses on the Chicks as wives, mothers, entertainers and political flash points. Their fight to stay uncompromised is inspiring.
Read Full Review >Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips
A seriously entertaining highlight of the fall season.
Read Full Review >Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
The documentary shows what a tight-knit group the Chicks are.
Read Full Review >Boston Globe Wesley Morris
Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck's film is a fascinating look at the intersection of commerce, celebrity, and controversy.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman
Through it all, Natalie Maines' decision to shirk humility, to stick by her guns, to the point that the group returns to that London concert venue in 2006 and she utters the same joke again, becomes a feisty and inspiring act of something there is only one word for: patriotism.
Read Full Review >New York Magazine David Edelstein
What a mind-bending odyssey ensues--a tale of good old-fashioned American free expression at war with good old-fashioned American capitalism.
Read Full Review >Newsweek David Ansen
The filmmakers are clearly in awe of the Chicks' fighting spirit. If you think Maines's original Bush remark was disrespectful, wait till you hear what she calls him here. Maines is not ready to make nice, and neither is this riveting documentary.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader J.R. Jones
The movie endorses the liberal conception of the Chicks as free-speech heroes, which doesn't quite wash: Maines shot her mouth off to a receptive overseas crowd, then issued an apology as soon as the backlash began back home.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten
Though the advertising plays up the film's Bush-bashing angle, it gives a false impression. This is really more of a backstage drama.
Read Full Review >Miami Herald Rene Rodriguez
The fact that you might emerge from the theater eager to give their albums a listen is a testament to how effective this lively and stirring movie about freedom of speech really is.
Read Full Review >Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman
Most importantly, Shut Up & Sing is about what happens in the music industry to people who won't.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen
Both the Chicks and this doc are left to deal with the aftermath as best they can. The film chooses to pad with an occasional over-reliance on cutesy filler -- a pregnant Emily having an ultra-sound, giving birth, recuperating at her beloved ranch away from it all.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin
Maines' big mouth and winning candor got her into trouble, but Shut Up & Sing suffers from filmmakers who are intent on playing it safe.
Read Full Review >USA Today Claudia Puig
While there is a vague hint of a vanity project in a few extraneous scenes, directors Barbara Kopple and Cecilia Peck have fashioned a compelling and rousing film that will not only appeal to Chicks fans, but make fans of those who weren't before.
Read Full Review >New York Post Lou Lumenick
Sharper and far more entertaining than most political documentaries.
Read Full Review >The New York Times Stephen Holden
The movie offers a revealing case study of the relationship between politics, celebrity and the media in today’s polarized social climate.
Read Full Review >LA Weekly Ella Taylor
Kopple and Peck went on and off the road with the band for the three years of waffling, agonizing and defiance in between Maines’ mouth-offs.
Read Full Review >Washington Post Stephen Hunter
One of the excellent attributes of Shut Up & Sing is that it lets the cards fall where they may and really doesn't try to spin the Chicks themselves. It's quite possible, then, to watch the film and come to the conclusion that Maines has a big mouth. Spectacularly talented, the young singer is also a spectacular blowhard.
Read Full Review >Variety Phil Gallo
It's the rare thorough documentary on a musical act whose dilemmas are faced in the here and now, one that should win over fans of the Chicks on the fence and of music docus and perhaps create a little cultural stir as well.
Read Full Review >Wall Street Journal Joanne Kaufman
Sympathetic, engaging documentary.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Bill White
An inspiring story of pluck, but its politics fall flat.
Read Full Review >Village Voice Luke Y. Thompson
The movie's not quite the Bush bashfest its publicity might lead you to believe; it's closer to the Metallica doc "Some Kind of Monster" than to "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 7.7 (out of 10) based on 35 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Alex H gave it a5:
This documentary portrays the Dixie Chicks as victims, and expects us to pity their plight - except their still selling millions of albums, and going on massive tours. Are we honestly supposed to pity a band for making $10 million instead of $20 million? Any semblance of artistic integrity they may have had is gone by the time you watch their 25th meeting about how to successfully rebrand themselves to the republic. "OK, so we had a bad bit of publicity...Now how do we convince the public to continue buying our crap?"
Chad S. gave it an8:
After frontwoman Natalie Maimes tells a sold-out audience that she's ashamed of President Bush being from Texas for the second time; you wonder what her Dixie cohorts are thinking, who can do nothing but smile. More importantly, what does their manager Simon Renshaw think? Even though The Dixie Chicks are more punk rock than 3 Doors Down(have you seen the "Citizen Soldier" music video for the National Guard?), "Shut Up and Sing" does have its p.r. moments to help restore the girls into the good graces of country radio. To prevent irreparable damage between the outspoken trio and Bush supporters, Emily Robison(the one who looks a little like Julia Roberts) is presented as a good ol' fashioned country girl. We see her on a farm with her husband and newly-born twins, and when interviewed, she expresses her concerns about making a rock record with music producer Rick Rubin and living in Los Angeles. Unlike Maines, who's a little bit country, and a little bit rock-and-roll, Robison declares herself as all country, all the time. "Shut Up and Sing" needs this dialectic because it clearly has a liberal agenda. In presenting the girls' detractors, the filmmaker uses footage of the most ignorant, least educated people possible. But The Dixie Chicks are going to need these "hicks" after President Bush leaves office, because their new fanbase may walk away, too. The jonny-come-latelys who only love this country act because they committed an act of civil disobedience against the machine.
Will. gave it a0:
Well, the problem here is this: Maines is disingenuous. She apologizes for her behavior when the entirety of society decries her behavior -- yet retracts her apology when the majority agree with her. You know what? That's the hallmark of someone without the spine to stand on their own. Honestly, her politics are incidental. I may aree with her on paper...but the woman is far from an intellectual. She's disgusting in her weakness as an individual.
Martin S. gave it a7:
I'll give them a 10 for courage but a 5 for the actual music. Anybody that believes being an American means blindly following the leader just doesn't get it. If now isn't the time to speak out then there will never be a time.
April R. gave it a10:
I watched this film with a friend of mine who lacked much of an opinion on the Chicks one way or the other-once it was over she was talking about buying all their albums and wanting to see them in concert! This film is a testament to the ignorance and mob mentality that rules so much of our society. Ask most people who are "Anti-chicks" and they probably couldn't even tell you exactly why. I often hear "they don't support the troops", "they are unpatriotic"-none of which, of course, is true. I found this film to be very educational and emotional-making me laugh and even cry towards the end at the bond between these gals. In a world that lacks individual thought and thrives on conformity, I am reminded of why the founding father created the electoral college-they didn't believe in the ability of the general American public to make informed and intelligent voting decisions-this film shows many fine examples why. It tells a sad truth about our society while simultaneously giving us hope that not everyone will strive to conform at the cost of personal liberties; one of the most important of which is the freedom of speech; for which NO ONE deserves death threats and so much ignorantly inspired hate. All in all a brilliant piece of work!
Anthony P gave it a10:
This is documentary film making at its best. Prior to the 2003 ‘incident’ all I knew about the Dixie Chicks was that they were a talented group with a large following of mainly country music lovers. This film illustrate that these ladies are not only talented and charismatic but highly principled as well. They could have chosen to sell out and jump on the bandwagon of hypocrisy and pseudo-patriotism that many other country singers displayed however they took the high road and held their ground. Watching them go thorough some very trying times one can only have admiration for them, their manager and their families. If you were not a Dixie Chicks fan prior to seeing this, you’ll be one by the end of the film. This documentary is like a breath of air and I commend Kopple and Peck for making such and entertaining and powerful film. We are reminded that even though corporate America and its herd mentality influences the weak-minded to issue death-threats and make complete idiots of themselves there are still real Americans out there like Natalie, Martie and Emily. In addition the music mix through the documentary is icing on the cake. Outstanding work!
Ariel G gave it a10:
At first I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this. I'm a big fan of their music, but I was never a fan of the music documentary genre as a whole, so I proceeded very carefully. I must say this documentary proved me wrong, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We get to spend a lot of time with the Dixie Chicks, almost like a day-in-the-life, watching them perform on stage, working in the studio, spending time with their spouses and children (Marty's twins during Halloween were especially cute!), seeing their reaction to being despised by so-called 'patriots' - coincidentally the real patriots, from when that term originated from, always defended free speech, and never tried to quash it. It's one of the hallmarks of being a true patriot. Through this documentary, we get to experience what they're experiencing, warts and all. I also liked just watching them in the studio, crafting their songs. It was such a joy to watch. And Natalie was hilarious in all her scenes, a natural extrovert. The movie was very satisfying, and it left me feeling as if I had gotten to know to know the Chicks so well, as well as gaining a greater appreciation for their music. This documentary will likely turn you into a fan. The five Grammy awards the girls received this year is not only a vindication for them, but also a great triumph and acknowledgment of their talent. Highly recommended!
