50
Metascore
9 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 75San Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoSan Francisco ChronicleWalter AddiegoThe film doesn't see any contradictions between the man and his work, which is folkloric, mostly upbeat, often humorous. Both art and artist are outsized and entertaining, and that's about all that Bel Borba Aqui has to say.
- 70Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinLos Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinWhat the film lacks in biographical depth, it makes up for with stirring visuals (including effective bits of split screen, time-lapse photography and animation), a vibrant score and an infectious, in-the-moment spirit.
- 60Time OutTime OutAt one point, Borba speaks with keen perspicacity about embracing Bahian folklore even when it verges on stereotype. This documentary mirrors the enthusiasm of that embrace, but not its artistry.
- 50Village VoiceVillage VoiceNow he's famous, and the production of the documentary Bel Borba Aqui, practically a montage of color, music, and Borba's constant laughter, coincides with his local acclaim.
- 50VarietyRonnie ScheibVarietyRonnie ScheibA vibrant catalogue of his outdoor pieces presented in context with an exhaustive portrait of Borba as a boundlessly energetic, iconoclastic creator, the documentary ties itself too tightly to its subject, mimicking forms and rhythms it never fully makes its own.
- 50The New York TimesRachel SaltzThe New York TimesRachel SaltzBel Borba Aqui gives us plenty to look at, but not much to think about.
- 50New York PostV.A. MusettoNew York PostV.A. MusettoBorba keeps referring to himself as "a hero," but the directors, Burt Sun and André Costantini, never delve into his psyche. On the plus side is Costantini's luscious cinematography.
- 50The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeThe Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeWill charm many arthouse patrons, though some highbrow-leaning art lovers will find the subject unworthy of such attention.
- 25Slant MagazineDiego SemereneSlant MagazineDiego SemereneThere's no pointing toward something other than the work itself, no poetic digression, no suggestion of a conceptual dimensionality to the work being produced.