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ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway

EMAILPRINTRegent Releasing

ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway reviews
73
9.7 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 8 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Documentary

Written by: Dori Berinstein
Richard Hankin

Directed by: Dori Berinstein

Release Date:
Theatrical: May 11, 2007

Running Time: 102 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: PG for language and some sexual references

Starring Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Boy George, Tony Kushner, John Lithgow, Idina Menzel, Rosie O'Donnell, and Tonya Pinkins

ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway is a feature-length documentary that examines the annual influx of ambitious, star-crossed hopefuls, scrambling for the high-board to make their big leap into everlasting limelight. (Regent Releasing)

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...

88

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

What stands out, not surprisingly, is the work and passion that goes into the shows. But seeing all this from the inside creates an extraordinary level of empathy for those involved.

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83

The Onion (A.V. Club) Noel Murray

ShowBusiness is a smart, highly entertaining piece of cinema-reportage, but it never quite rises to the level of penetrating insight or emotional catharsis.

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80

Village Voice Matt Singer

Producer/director Dori Berinstein knows her way around a Broadway show -- she's produced 11 of them, including her latest, Legally Blonde -- and her insider status no doubt helped secure behind-the-scenes access as she tracks one season in the life of four musicals, and explains the unusual level of intimacy between interviewer and subjects.

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75

TV Guide Robin Snook

It's riveting to watch the shows' respective creators work, clash, whine, celebrate and commiserate as the season and their stories unfold.

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75

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

Following the shows from rehearsals to Tony Awards night, she gets behind the scenes and does a good job conveying the incessant anxieties and glee of the talents involved.

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75

Chicago Tribune Chris Jones

Much of this strikingly human, rapidly paced and laudably well-rounded film is fascinating.

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75

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Captures the flavor of putting on a show on Broadway.

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75

Boston Globe Ty Burr

The film's slick and entertaining, an obvious must-see for musical hounds.

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70

Washington Post Philip Kennicott

ShowBusiness is not so clever nor so entertaining as the popular musical "A Chorus Line," which plied this territory more than 30 years ago, but it does go deeper into the mechanics of the business.

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70

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

Along the way Dori Berinstein's cameras catch gallant theater people doing what they've done since Sophocles was a pup: rehearsing, revising, worrying, learning, stretching, struggling to bump things up from good to wonderful and constantly, fervently hoping.

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70

Chicago Reader Albert Williams

Thrilling rehearsal and performance footage of Idina Menzel in "Wicked," Tonya Pinkins in "Caroline," and Euan Morton in "Taboo" is juxtaposed with thoughtful, funny, and revealing interviews with writers, directors, producers, publicists, and critics.

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70

Los Angeles Times Charkes McNulty

The film is a love letter to theater and the people who make it.

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70

The New York Times Matt Zoller Seitz

ShowBusiness is packed with telling details that the director, Dori Berinstein, was lucky to catch on camera.

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50

New York Post Lou Lumenick

You'll have to look elsewhere than this love letter to the Great White Way to explain why "Wicked" and "Avenue Q" became huge hits, and why "Caroline, or Change" joined "Taboo" as a costly flop.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 9.7 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes

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

Jason R. gave it a9:
Great idea to follow so many shows, though it did mean that it didn't get as involved enough in each of the shows separately as I would have liked. Bill S. is right... should have been a series. Even if you haven't seen any of the shows, I'd still recommend it. You'll want to see them afterwards! (unfortunately for me - and all of us I suppose - the two I haven't seen are the ones no longer running).

Stephanie R. gave it a10:
Really loved this doc. It felt like a feature. What a great ride and fantastic characters I really cared about. And funny too! A rock solid 10.

Emily R. gave it a10:
I strongly recommend this film! It's not just for theater lovers. It's the best doc I've seen in years. And funny too!!

Lee S. gave it a10:
Brilliant! I saw it with people who don't love theatre and they loved this film!! What a ride. And so funny. Can't wait for the DVD>

Bill S. gave it a9:
I like musicals, so this was really wonderful. My only complaint - keeping it from a 10 - is that it didn't go as deeply as I wanted it to, because of time. What a great series this would have been.

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