X
  • 2011
  • Not Rated
  • Variance Films
  • 1 h 42 m
  • 2011
  • Not Rated
  • Variance Films
  • 1 h 42 m

Summary Much more than a comedian, Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. His timeless comedy tackled the contradictions of America and modern life head on. But his unique gift was to tease apart the essence of religion, the dangers of unbridled government power and the double standards inherent in much of modern society, using ...

Directed By: Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas

  • 2011
  • Not Rated
  • Variance Films
  • 1 h 42 m
  • 2011
  • Not Rated
  • Variance Films
  • 1 h 42 m

American: The Bill Hicks Story

Metascore Mixed or Average Based on 12 Critic Reviews
55
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 9 User Ratings
6.7
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

Summary Much more than a comedian, Bill Hicks was and still is an inspiration to millions. His timeless comedy tackled the contradictions of America and modern life head on. But his unique gift was to tease apart the essence of religion, the dangers of unbridled government power and the double standards inherent in much of modern society, using ...

Directed By: Matt Harlock, Paul Thomas

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 12 Critic Reviews
55
33% Positive
4 Reviews
67% Mixed
8 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Mixed or Average Based on 12 Critic Reviews
55
33% Positive
4 Reviews
67% Mixed
8 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
80
Apr 4, 2011
From his early days doing stand-up at the age of 15 in Houston, Texas, to his membership of the Texas Outlaws comedy collective, to his supremacy as a brilliant controversist, American tells the story of comedian Bill Hicks' tragically short life through the eyes of those who lived it with him.
FULL REVIEW
70
Apr 14, 2011
Posthumous albums and now this film are securing his legacy and enduring influence.
By Kevin Thomas FULL REVIEW
60
Apr 7, 2011
An oddly sterile documentary inspired by a particularly fecund imagination, American: The Bill Hicks Story recounts a bright-burning life while leaving us mostly in the dark.
By Jeannette Catsoulis FULL REVIEW
60
Apr 4, 2011
A hagiographic portrait of the standup comic and social satirist who never quite reached beyond cult status in the U.S., American: The Bill Hicks Story might have impressed more of the unconverted had it included more performance footage of its subject.
By Joe Leydon FULL REVIEW
58
Apr 7, 2011
There's a great deal of promise and potential in the idea of a documentary study of Hicks. Unfortunately, American falls short of anything beyond the ordinary. Part of the problem is the difficulty in resisting the temptation to squeeze the comic's story into the familiar confines of a VH1 Behind the Music-style template.
By Ian Buckwalter FULL REVIEW
50
Apr 7, 2011
Like "Man In The Moon," American applies a thick gloss of reverence and sentimentality to the story of a comic pioneer who made his living challenging the kinds of neat, convenient, slickly packaged narratives presented here.
By Nathan Rabin FULL REVIEW
40
Apr 6, 2011
This foreign view of the subject is anthropologically useful, however the film's photo animation technique transforms family photos (used extensively to fill in historical plot holes) into something that resembles zombie-resurrection.
By Sara Maria Vizcarrondo FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 9 User Ratings
6.7
56% Positive
5 Ratings
44% Mixed
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 9 User Ratings
6.7
56% Positive
5 Ratings
44% Mixed
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company American the Movie, Halflife Films, Jackamo Productions
Release Date Apr 8, 2011
Duration 1 h 42 m
Rating Not Rated
Genres
Tagline The greatest comic of his generation. Kicked ass. Took names. Changed the game.
Website http://www.americanthemovie.com/
View All Details

Awards

Satellite Awards
• 1 Nomination
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 1 Nomination
SXSW Film Festival
• 1 Nomination

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