Stevie
User Score
8.7 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 12 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12

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  1. Lionel
    Feb 9, 2006
    9
    i don't know how there were critics who rated this movie poorly. it's an incredibly honest film which actually shows the documentary maker (steve) in as a critical a light as the subject (stevie). as a viewer, we feel that this subject-matter in many ways is too honest and brutal and thus that the documentary filmaker is exploiting his subject. the very fact that the steve was 'big brother' to stevie, and this is a story about an adult's wayward and tragic turn due to the results of childhood neglect, indeed says something profound about the documentary filmmaker himself.. where lies his true compassion for his subject?… Expand
  2. AngelaW.
    Jun 4, 2007
    10
    I have never seen a film so close to the reality that many deny exists. A story that had to be told.
  3. ChrisS.
    Oct 20, 2003
    8
    This is a tough one to watch, but it is an accurate snapshot of how a victim of sexual abuse evolves into an abuser. As relevant is the spiral downward that he takes in facing the prospect of a prison sentence. This film says almost as much about the legal system as it does about how of society allows the "harder to fix" children to slip through the cracks.
  4. Pinky
    Jul 25, 2006
    9
    An intriguing film and I wondered a lot about why Steve James returned to Stevie in the first place. Whatever the reason it took a certain amount of courage and perhaps feelings of guilt. [***SPOILERS***] I have some personal experience with the setting that Stevie grew up in. There were several points when I had to mute the sound because the round and round bickering and tearing each other down was so disturbingly reminiscient. Yet, when Stevie or his family members are asked why they put up with the heartbreak, harshness and abuse they have received from relatives, they consistently say "because they are the only family (sister, mother, son) that I have. I felt a lot of anguish for them. I also sensed another unamed relative looming in the background...an unspoken tension that I can only attribute to a suspicision that Stevie may have been fathered by a close blood relative. I couldn't help but think some of his problems were coming from a sort of biological base...perhaps something related to an abusive event from literally the earliest moment. It is too easy to say, though, that Stevie is living as he is because of his background of abuse and poverty. There are plenty of resilient children who have lived the same or worse but somehow carve out a different and more satisfying life. Some say it must be the experience of love in infancy, even if it is later lost. I don't know, but I sure feel for Stevie. I was also very touched by Tonya. A good and dignified person, and not someone I would likely come to know without Steve James' movie. Thank you Steve James.… Expand
  5. Nee-Nee
    Jul 6, 2006
    10
    I couldnt stop watching it! A very sad look at how abuse makes for "damanged goods". I felt so bad for those who ( Steven esp) for the guilt they felt about the outcome and how they thought that could have changed Stevie.
  6. DM
    Sep 26, 2006
    10
    One of the best movies I have ever seen. I would love to see a Stevie Part II. I want to know what happens to him after prison.
  7. C.A.
    Dec 2, 2006
    10
    This a very well done, brutally honest documentary on what it's like to be a mentor, the struggle to make the world a better place, and the reality of poverty, diminished capacity, and someone who can't top himself from making bad decisions.
  8. CaraF.
    Dec 1, 2003
    10
    This has been one of the most genuine, heart-felt films I have ever seen. I applaud Steven James for remaining true to his emotions throughout the documentary. Every single one of the characters was a personal hero for me, but if I had to single one out it would have to be Tonya. If I could embody half of her strength and courage I would be a much better me. Thanks so much Steven James.
  9. TracyL.
    Feb 15, 2007
    9
    Working in foster care and once living in the same area as this young man I was particularly drawn to watching this documentary. When will adults realize that their actions will forever effect the decisions their children will make for their future?...Whether they be good OR bad. I hope the families involved find the peace that they so deserve and avoid the drama that engulfs their lives.

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 23
  3. Negative: 2 out of 23
  1. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: C.W. Nevius
    25
    Despite good reviews at this year's Sundance Film Festival, this is the kind of squishy lost cause that gives liberal guilt a bad name.
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  2. Time
    Reviewed by: Richard Schickel
    60
    Can one recommend this unblinking film to the average moviegoer, out for a good time? Only in this way: if James and his crew can spend years with these blighted souls, surely you can spend two hours with them, exploring compassion's outer limits.
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  3. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    100
    It's no accident that this movie is named after both the filmmaker and his subject. It stands with the most thoughtful releases of recent months, and will linger in memory.
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