The Whole Gritty City

Play trailer

The Whole Gritty City

2013

1h 29m

Documentary

Music

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In New Orleans, the members of three school marching bands illustrate the power of music as they prepare for the Mardi Gras parades.

Robert Lloyd

Los Angeles Times

07/18/2014

It is a look at life, rather than a structured argument; or rather, the argument is made continually, with casual eloquence.

Go to Full Review

David Bianculli

NPR

07/18/2014

We return to this scene at the end of the documentary. By then, we know a lot more about these local bands, and how much music means to the kids, and how they even inspire each other.

Go to Full Review

David Hinckley

New York Daily News

02/18/2014

3/5

For every 11-year-old who decides he's going to take the band route and does, another kid who seems to have beaten the odds has not. The good news is that the band directors here aren't giving up - and that in music they have a potent weapon.

Go to Full Review

Ellen Gray

Philadelphia Daily News

05/29/2015

Boy, can some of these kids play.

Go to Full Review

Renee Schonfeld

Common Sense Media

10/23/2014

5/5

The result -- at times joyful, at other times incredibly sad -- is an inspiring and moving documentary with great people who have amazing stories to tell.

Go to Full Review

Mike Scott

Times-Picayune

07/18/2014

4/5

The Whole Gritty City is both a celebratory film -- filled with fanfares and snares, concerts and parades -- and a very emotional one, an at-times heartbreaking portrait of our at-times heartbreaking city.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Liz S

@RT16992354 02/23/2024

Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Mesmerizing.

See more

Luis Miguel C

@RT15415715 02/12/2024

Un increíble documental sobre la realidad en new Orleans y la salvación a través de la idiosincrasia y la música.

See more

11/28/2021

The Whole Gritty City perfectly captures the beauty and struggles of life we in New Orleans face every day. This is a tribute to America's most soulful, cultural, loveable, and troubled city. Much like the people in this documentary, New Orleans faces her own hurdles, her own challenges, but compared to all the rest, she stands alone. To all the band directors and all the members, thank you for the music.

See more

05/25/2015

This documentary is one of the most powerful and engaging movies (not just documentaries) I've ever watched and I recommend it to absolutely everyone. I found myself really rooting for the musicians, genuinely disappointed whenever a child made a bad decision, and saddened when forces beyond the control of those followed here dictated outcomes that made life more difficult. While the struggles faced by the musicians and their families and teachers are greater than those faced by most people I know, we all walk away feeling a little stronger, a little more tolerant, and with a better understanding of the role music can play in turning lives around.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Richard Barber

Director

Andre Lambertson

Director

Jazz Henry

Actor

Wilbert Rawlins Jr.

Actor

Jarett Shorts

Actor

Derrick Tabb

Actor

View more photos

Synopsis

In New Orleans, the members of three school marching bands illustrate the power of music as they prepare for the Mardi Gras parades.

Director: Richard Barber, Andre Lambertson
Producer: Richard Barber
Production Co: Band Room Productions
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 24, 2017
Runtime: 1h 29m

Most Popular at Home Now