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Defamation
Metascore
58 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
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  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    91
    This brave documentary takes on the topic of anti-Semitism in a relentlessly probing and original way.
  2. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Walter Addiego
    75
    Defamation tries to give all sides a full airing, but it's not hard to guess the director's own feeling. At the end, he says, "Putting too much emphasis on the past, as horrific as it has been, is holding us back."
  3. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    75
    In its sneaky, cheeky way, Defamation is a mitzvah, an act of kindness.
  4. Variety
    Reviewed by: Leslie Felperin
    70
    End result is at once intelligent, wry and -- there's no way around it -- quintessentially Jewish, in the best sense.
  5. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Ray Bennett
    60
    The most affecting scenes, however, involve the class of Israeli teenagers visiting Auschwitz.
  6. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: S. James Snyder
    60
    Like Moore's modus, Shamir's stroll is sloppy, but his willingness to tip sacred cows is truly courageous.
  7. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Kevin Thomas
    60
    Even though Defamation, which is sprinkled with unexpected moments of wry humor, will be inescapably controversial, Yoav Shamir strives admirably to be evenhanded.
  8. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    50
    While he takes an evenhanded approach, the filmmaker appears on camera far too often and goes off point as frequently as Moore.
  9. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Scott Foundas
    50
    Like most good documentaries, Defamation poses more questions than it purports to answer, before arriving at the mildly reductive postulation that what's past is past.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Neil Genzlinger
    40
    Disorganized and somewhat annoying.
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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. [Anonymous]
    10
    What makes an important film-maker? someone who asks questions others dare not utter. in this sense this film explores questions that are on most peoples mind but dare not ask. Jews the world over are incredibly powerful, and more power to them, in which case it begs the question, where is the anti-semitism thats rife and out to create another holocaust? in the words of a contributor 'Jews have never had it so good'. they place too much importance and attention on themselves, always believing themselves to be the victims in every incident, to the detriment of everyone else.highly recommended, unless you're a Zionist, in which case this brief review makes me an anti-semite.… Full Review »