Nimble performers...lift Great World of Sound above its central gimmick, turning it into a subtle, funny and depressing observation of unspoken race and class tensions.
Comment
09/14/07
Great World of Sound (2007)
80
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:41
Fresh:33
Rotten:8
Average Rating:6.9/10
Consensus: The Great World Of Sound is a charming and unassuming film, thanks to breakthrough performances from Pat Healy and Kene Holiday.
Theatrical Release:Sep 14, 2007 Limited
Synopsis: In today's American Idol culture, the road to success and fame is paved with deceit and manufactured talent. The Great World of Sound astutely addresses the growing trend of people looking for a... [More]
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Reviews for Great World of Sound
Top CriticCraig Zobel's soul-crushing docudrama slums in the real rags-to-rags tragedy of the lowest rung of the music industry.
02/22/08
Morally ambiguous, subtly crafted, resolutely free of cliché and made with almost no money, The Great World of Sound is under-the-radar independent filmmaking in the Jarmusch-Cassavetes mode, both noble and ruthless in spirit.
01/24/07
Top CriticThe pros and cons of the film are in direct proportion to the personalities of the two main characters, whose relationship is the story's anchor.
10/12/07
Great World of Sound exposes the scams of so-called talent scouts who fleece gullible songwriters answering their misleading advertisements.
10/04/07
Funny, often cringe-inducing and, at heart, a real moral drama, Great World has a lot to say about the state of culture, commerce and self-delusion in our celebrity-craving society.
09/28/07
A cinematic effort of striking confidence...It's a film that will upset, entertain, and bore, often in the same moment.
09/21/07
reminds one of those great indie charmers that were the basis of the 1990s indie movement
09/13/07
Great World of Sound is a corrosive antidote to "American Idol."
02/09/08
"Great World of Sound" is a sleeper independent film destined to become an underground classic.
09/29/07
Inspired by the reality-based Borat and various works about salesmen, Zobel's sporadically charming and often provocative feature debut adds an honorable panel to a growing number of comedies and dramedies about our obsession with fame and celebrity.
08/27/07
Though it takes a while to get in sync with its flat style and sluggish pace, the movie creeps up on you in stirring, unexpected ways.
09/14/07
Director Craig Zobel and co-writer George Smith imbue our two misfits with plenty of character depth and an intriguing camaraderie.
10/11/07
A movie about conscience that flatly refuses the catharsis and redemption a mainstream feature would demand, Great World of Sound is a dirty gem, shining despite the modesty of its production.
05/02/07
Endless rationalization can in the end be pretty convincing, especially to one's self.
05/11/07
If there’s justice it should move plenty of viewers—those aching to see a recognizable conscience behind our fashionable American idolatry.
10/06/07
Kene Holliday, who many might remember as Andy Griffith's African-American sidekick on the TV series Matlock back in the late Eighties, revitalizes his career here with a nonpareil outing which ought not be forgotten come Oscar time.
09/20/07
One the most impressive and promising feature debuts since Richard Linklater's Slacker.
09/14/07
...an involving, offbeat and truly unusual American independent film.
09/28/07
Top Critic[Kene Holliday's] performance here is one of the year's best.
06/30/07
Latest News for Great World of Sound
September 13, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Brave One Isn't Tops, Mr. Woodcock is Flaccid, Hunting Party is Busted
This week at the movies, we've got vigilantes (The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster), gym teachers (Mr. Woodcock starring Billy Bob Thornton and Susan Sarandon), war... More...
September 12, 2007:
Kene Holliday, who many might remember as Andy Griffith's African-American sidekick on the TV series Matlock back in the late Eighties, revitalizes his career here with a nonpareil outing which ought not be forgotten come Oscar time. 
More...
September 08, 2007:
Trailer & Poster review.
More...
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