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William Eggleston in the Real World
Palm Pictures

William Eggleston in the Real World reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 69 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
6.2 out of 10
based on 13 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 4 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

MPAA RATING: Not Rated

Starring William J. Eggleston

This documentary examines that connection between the enigmatic personality and the groundbreaking work of one of the most significant figures in contemporary photography.


GENRE(S): Documentary  
WRITTEN BY: Michael Almereyda  
DIRECTED BY: Michael Almereyda  
RELEASE DATE: DVD: February 14, 2006 
Theatrical: August 31, 2005 
RUNNING TIME: 87 minutes, Color 
ORIGIN: USA 

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
San Francisco Chronicle Kenneth Baker
Filmmaker Michael Almereyda gives the most persuasive possible account of the upswing in Eggleston's critical standing.
Read Full Review
90
LA Weekly Scott Foundas
Almereyda has crafted an uncannily revealing portrait of a major American artist at work, all the more remarkable for the deceptive casualness with which it unfolds, as if Almereyda had just shown up.
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90
Los Angeles Times Kenneth Turan
An elegantly discursive examination of one of the great modern photographers, a surprisingly intimate portrait of an elusive, laconic man.
Read Full Review
80
Village Voice Ed Halter
Subtle, elegant documentary.
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80
The New York Times Janet Maslin
Mr. Eggleston proves the polished granddaddy who, early on, recognized beauty in a garish wasteland. In this accomplished look at a storied career, he instructs - without words - how to see all that is hauntingly familiar.
Read Full Review
75
New York Post V.A. Musetto
Eggleston doesn't speak much, and when he does, it's usually a mutter, forcing Almereyda to use subtitles. Fortunately, Eggleston's photographs come across loud and clear.
Read Full Review
75
New York Daily News Jami Bernard
Refreshingly offbeat documentary.
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75
Boston Globe Mark Feeney
The documentary is elliptical, with a slow, drifty rhythm. It presents an up-close but impersonal view of Eggleston.
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70
The Hollywood Reporter Frank Scheck
The result isn't particularly mesmerizing, but it does offer a well-rounded portrait that will be of particular interest to photography lovers.
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70
TV Guide Ken Fox
Without slavishly imitating the photographer's distinctive style, Almereyda also manages to connect his own images to all that's "Egglestonian" in the photographer's world.
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50
The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias
The trouble with artists making documentaries about other artists is that art tends to get in the way.
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40
Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir
Almost utterly defeated by its subject's sardonic stonewalling.
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40
Variety Ronnie Scheib
Despite Almereyda's strong following in arthouse circles, William Eggleston in the Real World --which requires patient if not repeat viewing -- will probably not venture far into it.
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What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this movie is 6.2 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Chad S. gave it a6:
On film, using the same long takes of William Eggleston at work, on his feet with a camera in tow, shooting life, the viewer can imagine that a blow-by-blow account of the artistic process could make for compelling viewing. But "William Eggleston in the Real World" is shot on video tape. For photography neophytes(such as myself), we wait patiently for the narrator to explain his importance in the art world. If Eggleston is a humble man(he seems to hate the word "artist" as did the filmmaker John Ford), "William Eggleston in the Real World" is definitely not his cup of tea. Thankfully, there are the photographs. This original but slightly off-putting documentary shows us why in most biopics, we rarely see the artist at work. Snapping pictures is not dramatic, and it takes the mystery out of the finished product.

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