The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby
Metascore
71 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 11
  3. Negative: 0 out of 11
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  1. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Mark Feeney
    Nov 17, 2011
    63
    The family snapshots are more revealing. The sight of Colby wearing a tie at family picnics really says something about the sort of man he was. But they're not that much more revealing.
  2. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Steven Rea
    Jan 19, 2012
    88
    At once a deeply personal film and an important historical document, The Man Nobody Knew leaves us with an incomplete portrait of a man. Did Colby have a moral core? Did he know what was truth, and what was a lie? Did he sanction assassination plots? Did he love his family? Was he even capable of love?
  3. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Amy Biancolli
    Dec 1, 2011
    50
    Even his wife barely knew him, recalling for her son the peculiarities of raising a family amid Daddy's cloak and dagger - and if she's baffled by his behavior, what hope is there for anyone else?
  4. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Kalvin Henely
    Sep 23, 2011
    75
    At the same time that director Carl Colby probes into the true character of his mysterious father through an arsenal of interviews with those that knew him, he gives equal weight to the dark chapters of America's history that his father's life traversed.
  5. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Alison Willmore
    Sep 21, 2011
    67
    The Man Nobody Knew is far better with matters of the public record than with matters of the home, which may sum up its subject better than any talking-head interview.
  6. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Frank Scheck
    Sep 24, 2011
    80
    Carl Colby's deeply felt exploration of his father's life and career is as emotionally, as it is historically, intriguing, even if the filmmaker ultimately admits that he's never quite able to get to the bottom of his subject's enigmatic personality.
  7. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Andy Webster
    Sep 22, 2011
    80
    Carl Colby's smart, fact-packed film The Man Nobody Knew operates on many levels, all riveting.
  8. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: David Fear
    Sep 20, 2011
    80
    The film occasionally skews a little on the PBS-dry side, but in terms of looking back on a legacy of American skullduggery and high-level shenanigans, its access and acknowledgment of our dark past make for one intimate indictment.
  9. Variety
    Reviewed by: Ronnie Scheib
    Sep 22, 2011
    70
    Oddly, the director's personal connection with his subject adds little warmth, filmmaker Carl proving nearly as unemotional as his deadpan dad.
  10. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Aaron Hillis
    Sep 20, 2011
    80
    Respectful, loving, but never lionizing, Carl's thorough investigation transcends his personal catharsis to become an enduring treatise on how character flaws affect policy.
  11. Wall Street Journal
    Reviewed by: Joe Morgenstern
    Oct 13, 2011
    70
    The Man Nobody Knew is packed with knowledge of another sort. It amounts to an absorbing, sometimes appalling course in how U.S. foreign policy evolved and functioned following World War II.

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. CitizenCharlie
    5
    The only person who would have ever thought about making a film documentary of former CIA Director William Colby must be related to him. In fact, his son Carl Colby did just that. William Colby was a driven individual who lived during interesting times and ended up in a fascinating job; however, this does not increase his suitability to carry an entire documentary. Intercutting very intriguing historical film vignettes, nostalgic and archived pictures, and one-on-one interviews with some very famous and influential public servants from the last few decades, The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of my Father CIA Spymaster William Colby charts the course of Colbyâ… Full Review »
  2. richardrad
    9
    Absolutely riveting. Anyone with even a mild interest in the Vietnam War and the controversial secretive career of spymaster William Colby should see this film. The cinematography and soundtrack are first rate. The movie covers a great deal of ground using an elegant, forceful narrative. What gives this documentary a true sense of personal drama is the way Carl Colby goes in search of his dad's true character. Perhaps the most interesting person we see and hear from is Colby's mother, who is as bewildered about her husband's inner self as anyone else. Donald Rumsfeld makes a chilling appearance. Other key players in Colby's life come off as more sympathetic and introspective.… Full Review »
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