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The Jazz Singer

The Jazz Singer (1980)

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 3
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 2

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Average Rating: 3.4/5
User Ratings: 4,694

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Movie Info

Pop singer Neil Diamond stars in this ill-begotten second remake of Al Jolson's seminal 1927 musical The Jazz Singer. The moth-eaten story concerns a cantor's son who desires success as a pop singer, despite the wishes of his imperious father. The film takes place in the present day with Yussel Rabinowitz (Neil Diamond) playing a young (though middle-aged looking) cantor performing at the synagogue of his father (Laurence Olivier). Yussel is married and has settled down to a life of religious

PG, 1 hr. 55 min.

Musical & Performing Arts, Drama

,

Herbert Baker

Mar 15, 2000

Cast

Critic Reviews for The Jazz Singer

All Critics (22) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (19) | DVD (11)

The Jazz Singer has so many things wrong with it that a review threatens to become a list.

October 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Mr. Diamond, looking glum and seldom making eye contact with anyone, isn't enough of a focus for the outmoded story.

August 30, 2004 Full Review Source: New York Times | Comment
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Richard Fleischer's direction is appropriately close-in and small, and Diamond himself, while no actor, proves to be a commandingly intense, brooding presence.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comment
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Stick with Jolson's version via 1927. Or even the Danny Thomas take. Skip Neil.

February 17, 2008 Comment
Steve Crum
Video-Reviewmaster.com

The third and, one hopes, final remake of THE Jazz Singer is the least interesting attempt so far.

January 8, 2008 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | Comment
TV Guide's Movie Guide

The most cautious soft-rock superstar movie debut you'll ever get to see.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out | Comment
Time Out Source: Time Out

Most of the film is very likable despite its cliches.

September 28, 2005 Full Review Source: FulvueDrive-in.com | Comment
Chuck O'Leary
FulvueDrive-in.com

painfully schmaltzy

February 7, 2005 Comment
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

Diamond tries his best. Olivier over compensates, but the songs are classic.

January 8, 2005 Comment
Michael A. Smith
Nolan's Pop Culture Review Source: Nolan's Pop Culture Review

The roughest of Diamonds, this will only interest fans of the singer and those with a passion for poor pictures.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4 | Comment (1)
Film4 Source: Film4

An unintentional laff riot. Olivier is so over the top that it's mesmerizing.

May 12, 2003 Comment
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
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Audience Reviews for The Jazz Singer

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This was a pretty good movie. Some of the acting was really cheesy, but I thought it was entertaining enough.

July 30, 2010
irisheyes686
Erin Collins

Super Reviewer

Great for fans of the singer as i am but however this is a musical and i only like about two of them.

July 8, 2009
leekyle1968
Lee Kyle

Super Reviewer

The Jazz Singer Quotes

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