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Theater of War

Theater of War (2008)

tomatometer

70

Average Rating: 6.8/10
Critic Reviews: 10
Fresh: 7 | Rotten: 3

No consensus yet.

audience

79

liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 318

My Rating

Movie Info

Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children is widely regarded as one of the most important plays of the 20th century and a powerful, punishing statement of protest against the grim folly of war. Brecht's drama is often staged in Europe, but it has rarely been given major productions in the United States; however, in 2006, with the ongoing war in Iraq occupying the minds of many in the United States, playwright Tony Kushner prepared a new English translation of Mother Courage and director

Unrated,

Documentary, Special Interest

Oct 19, 2010

Whtie Buffalo Entertainment

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All Critics (19) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (12) | Rotten (6)

Engrossing and timely, this crackles with ideas about art, politics, religion, and the terrible costs of war.

April 3, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For theater lovers in general, this documentary -- a look at a high-powered production of a modern classic and a chance to watch Meryl Streep build a character -- is intriguing and educational. For partisans of Bertolt Brecht, it's mandatory.

April 3, 2009 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

All of this makes an interesting, if not gripping, film about the play, the playwright and the lead-up work to a stage production. It also leaves me wanting a great deal more.

April 2, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Theater of War, Walter's invigorating film, asserts the value of Brecht -- and the power of art -- for our troubled times.

March 26, 2009 Full Review Source: Boston Globe
Boston Globe
Top Critic IconTop Critic

As a onetime dramaturg and Brechtian, I enjoyed the chin-wags and the glimpses of Streep in rehearsal -- especially her quivering admission that she can't bear the thought of anyone seeing her process.

December 29, 2008 Full Review Source: New York Magazine
New York Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Theater of War, while informative, feels more like a trailer for Mother Courage than a film of its own.

December 29, 2008 Full Review Source: New York Post
New York Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The delights were in seeing arguably America's greatest actress, Streep, going through the clunky process of rehearsing while telling us how she interpreted her role.

February 26, 2010 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Mildly engaging with brief moments of insight, but it's mostly a missed opportunity to dig deeper into the play's sociopolitical relevance to the world of today

January 31, 2009 Full Review Source: NYC Movie Guru
NYC Movie Guru

Though Theater Of War is informative -- both about Brecht and about the effort it takes to mount a big New York production -- Walter overreaches in trying to connect Brecht's anti-war sentiment with contemporary protest movements.

December 29, 2008 Full Review Source: AV Club
AV Club

A thought-provoking documentary about the life and work of Bertolt Brecht and the 2006 Public Theatre's presentation of Mother Courage and Her Children

December 24, 2008 Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice
Spirituality and Practice

Meryl Streep is absolutely the least interesting thing about this inventive doc that takes an unprecedented look at the staging of a high-profile theater production.

December 23, 2008 Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net
ComingSoon.net

Neither Meryl Streep's as-yet-unpolished performance nor the entire construction of this particular production of Bertolt Brecht's celebrated play are done much favor by this doc's unedifying attempt to shoot the moon.

December 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine

If you can't define "Brechtian," this documentary, ostensibly about the Public Theater's production of Mother Courage and Her Children, may elude you, yet the all-too-brief glimpses of Meryl Streep finding meaning in the play may make it all worthw

December 19, 2008 Full Review Source: Film Journal International
Film Journal International

Audience Reviews for Theater of War

Ties together war, world history past and present, rehearsal process, Brecht's own biography, Marxism, and, of course, the play, "Mother Courage and Her Children," weaving together a tapestry of interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, home movies from Brecht, newsreel footage, and photos and recordings of both the original production and the Central Park revival. Ultimately, the whole of "Theater of War" isn't any more than the sum of its many fascinating parts, but it's interested, engaging, frequently exciting stuff, and for anyone who loves Brecht (like I do) or who saw the performance (which I did), it's essential viewing.
September 23, 2012
It's informative -- both about the life and ideas of Bertolt Brecht and the staging of a high-profile New York theater production.
January 22, 2011
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