The Disciple
Netflix | Release Date (Streaming): April 30, 2021 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
83
METASCORE
Universal acclaim based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
12
Mixed:
1
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
The PlaylistChristian GallichioSep 15, 2020
Although Tamhane’s sedate pacing might put off those expecting a more visceral dive into the culture of Hindustani music, The Disciple is profound in its microcosmic world-building, slowly creating Sharad’s life through individually realized moments, adding up to an extraordinary portrait of a failed artist. Read full review
91
IndieWireEric KohnSep 12, 2020
In Tamhane’s dreamy, transcendent character study, the undulating raga melodies serve as a transformative portal to self-discovery that places the audiences in the confines of its entrancing power. Read full review
90
Christian Science MonitorPeter RainerMay 20, 2021
This is not intended as a movie about what a genius must endure on the path to success. Sharad’s story is much more relatable than that. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesJustin ChangMay 5, 2021
Among other things, “The Disciple” is a decades-spanning chronicle of an entertainment industry in constant technological flux, which means it’s fascinated by the ephemeral as well as the eternal. Read full review
90
The New YorkerRichard BrodyMay 3, 2021
In its depiction of Guruji’s mastery, The Disciple conjures the wonders and the mysteries of a life that is itself a work of art. Read full review
90
VarietyJay WeissbergSep 12, 2020
Tamhane patiently constructs his characters out of small details, relying on his audience to pick up on small changes and muted shifts of tone that signal the passage of time and Sharad’s interior journey. Read full review
88
RogerEbert.comNick AllenApr 30, 2021
The Disciple is a great example of when filmmaking and acting styles complement each other, and it’s that bond that feels to be a significant part of what makes Tamhane’s film so special, so resonant. Read full review
88
Slant MagazineDerek SmithSep 13, 2020
Chaitanya Tamhane gives full dimension to the rich, complex, and sometimes contradictory nature of the relationship between disciple and guru. Read full review
83
The Film StageRory O'ConnorSep 12, 2020
It is not a flawless achievement, but The Disciple has that feel of a burgeoning master: the patience and sureness of touch; the controlled surrealist flourishes; the sheer ambition and scope. Read full review
83
The A.V. ClubA.A. Dowd Sep 12, 2020
For all the fascinating insight the film provides into a musical subculture passing slowly into the archives of history, its melancholy is more universal: Anyone who’s ever devoted themselves fully to a passion, only to discover that the rest of the world barely gives a shit, will smile sadly with recognition. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterDeborah YoungSep 12, 2020
The film has its own fascination that rises above the type of music being played and sung. Read full review
70
Screen DailyWendy IdeSep 12, 2020
What’s most interesting, although it gets slightly buried under a few too many almost identical musical performances, is the film’s account of the fractious symbiosis of the guru-disciple relationship. Read full review
60
The GuardianXan BrooksSep 12, 2020
I wish that I enjoyed The Disciple as much as I admired it. The film is a labour of love insofar as it feels overthought and overburdened, with all the rough edges planed down. Read full review
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