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Stop Making Sense

EMAILPRINTCinecom Pictures

Stop Making Sense reviews
89
8.5 User Score:

Movie Info

Genre(s): Concert  |  Documentary

Written by: Jonathan Demme
Talking Heads

Directed by: Jonathan Demme

Release Date:
Theatrical: October 18, 1984
DVD: October 26, 1999

Running Time: 88 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: Unrated

Starring David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth, and Jerry Harrison

A concert film of the rock band Talking Heads.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

TV Guide Staff (Not Credited)

By common consensus, Stop Making Sense is the best concert film ever made.

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100

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

Has there ever been a live concert film as vibrant or as brilliantly realized? I don't think so. [Review of re-release]

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100

San Francisco Examiner Wesley Morris

Part aerobics workout, part self-styled dreamscape, Sense is a hyperactive piece of performance art that begins as the stripped-down dress rehearsal of a garage band and builds into a mighty, exhausting spectacle that shakes as much ass as it kicks. [Review of re-release]

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90

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

Stop Making Sense is so beautifully choreographed that in some ways it's more like theater than a rock show. [Review of re-release]

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90

The New York Times Janet Maslin

Mr. Demme has captured both the look and the spirit of this live performance with a daring and precision that match the group's own.

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90

Time Richard Corliss

It could as well be called Best Thing of Undetermined Species.

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88

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Starting with Mick Jagger, rock concerts have become, for the performers, as much sporting events as musical and theatrical performances. Stop Making Sense understands that with great exuberance.

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80

Chicago Reader Dave Kehr

It's 88 minutes of solid, inventive music, filmed in a straightforward manner that neither deifies the performers nor encourages an illusory intimacy, but presents the musicians simply as people doing their job and enjoying it.

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50

Boston Globe Steve Morse

But as good as it is, the film falls short of translating the exaltation and near-gospel music feel of the band in full flight. [2 Nov 1984]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 4 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jared C. gave it a7:
Pretty good show, but for a movie called Stop Making Sense. It should focus a little harder on how it doesn't make sense.

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