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Tarnation
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Metascore
87 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 37 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Jonathan Caouette
  • Summary: Jonathan Caouette's film reimagines the whole idea of what a documentary can be. He weaves a psychedelic whirlwind of snapshots, Super-8 home movies, answering machine messages, video diaries, early short films, snippets of 80s pop culture and dramatic reenactments to create an epic portrait of an American family torn apart by dysfunction and reunited through the power of love. (Wellspring Media)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    100
    It is a remarkable film, immediate, urgent, angry, poetic and stubbornly hopeful.
  2. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    100
    Harrowing, extremely disturbing at times, but brought to the screen in dazzling pop-art images that make the movie's grim content very much worth watching.
  3. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Ken Fox
    60
    A bold, painful memoir that finds an innovative middle-ground between conventional documentary and a homemade, home-movie collage.

See all 32 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 24
  3. Negative: 3 out of 24
  1. SEBASTIAN
    10
    What would you feel if you have the possibilitie of watch your life on TV?. This film is astonishing
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. Scarlet
    10
    It was one of the best documenterys I've seen in a while plus it got my grade in school out of the trash can.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. MichaelL.
    5
    This film started so strongly; I was mesmerized by the visuals, the Low soundtrack, the edginess--yet compassion it contained in those first 15 minutes. Then it soared downhill. A real shame--because this should have been a masterpiece judging from the promise of the opening. Instead, it becomes Caouette's song of himself--a music video walking on the wild side. All the fancy effects, groovy camerawork and nifty music can't make up for narrative that disappears. Characters appear and disappear so quickly, one has no chance of making a connection. Except Caouette himself--and his obvious need for validation. That, perhaps is the final impression of this film. It feels insincere exploitive in the end.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 24 User Reviews

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