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Patti Smith: Dream of Life
Metascore
66 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: James Greenberg
    80
    A knowledge of Smith's landmark contribution as a rock 'n' roll pioneer is not essential, and the film should be a joy for anyone interested in pop culture of the past 40 years.
  2. Salon.com
    Reviewed by: Andrew O'Hehir
    80
    Frequently beautiful and intermittently haunting and could be called a meditation on aging and mortality, an intimate study of a peculiar variety of fame and a portrait of a genuinely remarkable person.
  3. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Manohla Dargis
    80
    A lovely, drifty first feature that feels less like a documentary and more like an act of rapturous devotion.
  4. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Michael Phillips
    75
    If one thing holds the picture back, it's the self-conscious album-cover aesthetic of Sebring's visual approach.
  5. New York Post
    Reviewed by: V.A. Musetto
    75
    This isn't a performance film, and it is far from a definitive portrait of the androgynous performer.
  6. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Liam Lacey
    75
    This intimate portrait of the so-called godmother of punk is aimed at viewers who are keenly fascinated by Smith.
  7. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Carina Chocano
    70
    Impossibly long and angular, with a brutally beautiful face, she represents something that's been rare in the popular culture in the past decade: an artist with a voice and a vision.
  8. Variety
    Reviewed by: Robert Koehler
    70
    The textured, thoughtful results may prove too cerebral and abstract for audiences beyond Smith's hardcore followers,
  9. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: J.R. Jones
    70
    Steven Sebring spent a decade making this documentary about the punk poet, and it shows.
  10. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    67
    When embraced on its own terms, the film will provide an ironic bridge for those who want to share a greater closeness with Smith.
  11. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    63
    We don't learn too many specifics of Smith's brilliant career, and only a die-hard fan will find all of it vitally interesting.
  12. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Stan Hall
    58
    Most frustratingly, Smith's powerful music is heard only in snatches.
  13. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Noel Murray
    58
    The paltry amount of live performances is a crime. In some ways, Smith singing "Gloria" live would've been all the context anyone would ever need.
  14. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Peter Hartlaub
    50
    Most audience members will probably want more.
  15. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Camille Dodero
    40
    109 mostly black-and-white minutes of punk's wet nurse floating through the modern world while endlessly ruminating on mortality, art, and the occasional bodily function. Problem is, there's nary a hint of context, even with biographic essentials.
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User Reviews

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User Score
8.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 1 out of 2
  1. MonkeyT
    10
    Beautiful!!!! Serene, funny, moving, powerful, passionate. A gem.
  2. JohnA
    3
    As much as I feel respect for Patti Smith, her art and over-indulgent self sadly form a thick pretentious cloud behind which her humour and true persona (of which tiny bits in this film are amazing) remains for most part unseen. She is an honest person, true to her beliefs and warm-heartedly leads us through the film but in general, the point is sadly missed - 'Dream of Life' should have been called 'Patti Smith - This and That', due to her exposure to daily routines of painting, taking pictures, singing in and out of tune, walking around graveyards to express respects and gratitude to her ever-beloved poet idols... maybe that was the concept of the film, and to record an in-depth ten years video diary and then try and squeeze it into 2 hours isn't at all greatful or easy, there is still plenty of unnecessary philosophy which might even provoke those more dedicated to drop a yawn or two.… Full Review »
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