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When I started planning my schedule for this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival, there was one film on the list that was a must-see—so much so, in fact, that it helped me decide when I’d make the trip. But, you see, For the Love of Movies hits a bit close to home—because it’s all about film critics.
Directed by Boston Phoenix critic Gerald Peary, For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism opens with an ominous (though well-known) fact: the country’s print film critics are losing their jobs. Meanwhile, more and more readers are looking for reviews online, where they find the next generation of critics—people like Harry Knowles of AintItCool.com (not to mention the movie-reviewing team at NightsAndWeekends.com).
Before it gets too far ahead of itself, though, the film rewinds the story back to the early 20th century, to tell the whole story of American film criticism. Using classic movie clips, some rather stilted readings of old reviews, and interviews with a variety of critics (both past and present—including a pre-surgery Roger Ebert), For the Love of Movies offers a brief look at more than a hundred years of film critic history.
Of course, I’m probably a bit biased here, since the topic is one that’s rather close to my heart. But despite the film’s somewhat rough feel, the material is informative—and positively engrossing. The past, present, and future of film criticism is an extensive topic to tackle in just 80 minutes (not to mention one that could get rather academic and dull), but Peary gives a concise, straightforward overview. The film never goes into too much detail—choosing instead to touch on key figures, issues, and debates to pique viewers’ interest in the topic. Along the way, the film shows film criticism as a field that’s constantly changing, as new critics arrive, bringing their own perspectives to the field.
The current state of film criticism is a touchy subject among critics and film buffs alike—one that carries a fair amount of frustration (and sometimes even bitterness) on both sides of the debate. Clearly told from a print critic’s point-of-view, For the Love of Movies does tend to make online critics look like sloppy, spastic fanboys, who can’t compose a coherent (much less grammatically correct) sentence—and who happily toe the studio line, offering glowing reviews in exchange for branded gifts and breakfast buffets. (Admittedly, that assessment is sometimes true—though it’s not necessarily exclusive to online critics.) At the same time, though, it also depicts the new digital era as a kind of changing of the guard—the next chapter in the story of film criticism.
In the end, For the Love of Movies will give viewers a new respect and appreciation for critics—those who share their passion for film with readers (or listeners…or viewers), whether they’re across town or around the globe. It also opens the dialogue about film criticism—about where it’s been and where it’s heading. So if you, too, share that love of movies (and an interest in the people whose job it is to review them), this simple but informative documentary is sure to spark hours of discussion and debate.
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