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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
2019
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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
Positive Reviews
46
Negative reviews
8
Average Rating
3.7
/5
respectable
musical
comprehensive
problematic
excellent
All
Positive
Negative
4.0
The documentary fills in a lot of gaps, without getting caught up in glossy dramatics and leaves the snippets of sound to cover the omissions. After w ..
Den Of Geek
3.1
For either newcomers or fans, the documentarys cradle to grave, talking head approach too readily threatens to take the zip, romance, and funk out of ..
Rogerebert
4.5
If youre a Miles Davis fanatic from way back and think you already know everything about him, the movie, with its sharply edited interviews and stunni ..
Variety
4.5
An excellent primer from a dependable chronicler of African American culture.
The Hollywood Reporter
3.5
Nelson has gifted us with a thoughtful and rich profile which, like a fading note escaping from Davis trumpet, leaves us wanting more.
4.5
Davis mavens will hear familiar stuff. But more than a few moments here are new, and real grabbers.
The New York Times
4.5
A perfectly polished work that will serve as a solid introductory primer for those unfamiliar with his history while offering up enough juicy bits of ..
E Film Critic
4.5
Youll want to listen to Miles music after watching the film and, when you do, you might feel it a little deeper.
1.5
Like many music documentaries, this profile of groundbreaking trumpet player and bandleader Miles Davis feels constrained by its conventional length, ..
Chicago Reader
2.5
Thats a tough selland even tougher coming from a movie that doesnt seem to interested in the music in the first place.
Mark Reviews Movies
3.8
While Davis disciples might not be fully satisfied with whats here, the samplings are generous, major phases well explored, and better yet, well expla ..
News Day
3.0
Nelson has made many lauded documentaries about the black experience in America. His life of Miles is comprehensive and stimulating, frequently illumi ..
Smh
3.8
The film is kind of brilliant in the way it covers and contextualizes more than 50 years of groundbreaking music in barely two hours.
Toronto Star
1.5
Though one could be justified doing an entire feature on each of Miles distinct eras, Cool is sure to be an easy entry point for the uninitiated.
Film Inquiry
4.5
I highly recommend this decades spanning, engrossing, hilarious, sad, and informative documentary to all music fans, whether you liked Davis beforehan ..
Flim Threet
1.5
The movies simple arc and conventional contours flatten both the passionate originality of Daviss music and the destructive chaos of his life.
New Yorker
3.0
Miles Davis is a constantly evolving musical genius in Stanley Nelsons Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool.
Boston Herald
3.0
A well made account of both the mans achievements and his jerkiness.
Detroit News
3.8
A primer...proves most valuable by gathering a number of Miles friends, lovers, musical collaborators, admirers, and musicologists...to share their re ..
Groucho Reviews
5.0
Stanley Nelsons intricate doc portrait fascinatingly delves into the jazz legends relationships with women.
Now Toronto
4.5
Stanley Nelsons look at the 20th century jazz icon reveals a troubled soul rarely at peace with himself.
Lw Lies
4.5
Its about as rewarding a dissection of a great artist and problematic human as one could hope for in under two hours.
The Stranger
4.5
A gossipy and very musical primer on Davis, who is, needless to say (though it is said and said), among the giants of jazz.
Wsj
1.5
The montage heavy doc is reasonably comprehensive, but even at two hours, much is excised...
Straight
4.5
Few 20th century artists lived more completely in the process, and Stanley Nelsons film, brimming with fabulous footage, doesnt fail to impart that cr ..
Straight
3.0
Stanley Nelson teaches a historical lesson on the greatness of Miles Davis. His musical legacy, style, and image is explored. Nelson unfortunately glo ..
Movie Web
2.0
The result, for the most part, is pleasant and informative, if not particularly inspiring or revelatory. But now and then, the music and images cant h ..
Sandiego Reader
4.5
While previous books and films made Miles Davis look like a magical character, Nelsons Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool depicts the musician as what he ..
Black Girl Nerds
4.4
This exceptional two hour take covers a whole lot of ground and gives the music center stage, as it should.
Third Coast Review
4.5
A beguiling new documentary full of strange details, some unnerving, some wonderful. Backed by Daviss resplendent music, its frequently hypnotic, even ..
National Review
5.0
Its a film that Miles himself would recognize truthful, gritty, elegantly musical, unpredictable and even surprising the kind of complex yet elegiac t ..
Datebook Sfchronicle
3.8
It Chapter Two is less scary; like early Evil Dead films and other 1980s horrors, its crazy creatures inspire surprised laughter more than terror.
Sf Examiner
1.5
Its a warts and all 101 of Daviss life and career until his 1991 death, in which those warts get more or less shrugged off because he geniuses like hi ..
Sf Weekly
4.5
Miles Davis The Birth of Cool is a must see for anyone, anywhere in any lane of life that has an infinite love of music. Especially jazz. Stanley Nels ..
Wp Me
4.5
The movie offers something more valuable than a hagiography: a rich and bittersweet film that investigates, without romanticizing, some of the anguish ..
Washington City Paper
3.0
This may be the funniest film of the year as well as one of the most entertaining documentaries.
The Film Experience
4.5
Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool reinforces the obvious. This trumpeter made being talented, stylish, inventive, troubled and enigmatic extremely cool.
Dwight Brown Ink
3.8
He may have been a difficult, off putting person in real life okay, he DEFINITELY was but when he played, his music touched something deep and element ..
Madison
3.0
Those not familiar with Miles Davis will probably take more away than committed fans, although that will hopefully also open up some ears along the wa ..
The Digital Fix
4.5
While it wouldnt have been my personal preference, it doesnt interfere with the storys flow in any fashion.
Nashville Scene
4.0
A very well crafted account of the life, influence, and persona of Miles Davis that should please fanatics and new fans alike.
The Hollywood News
2.5
It understands its significance but doesnt delve deeply into its resonance that might spark that leap towards a Spotify playlist.
4.5
Birth of Cool does an excellent job contextualizing Davis music as ever evolving.
Seventh Row
4.5
Perhaps one day his problematic relationships with women will eclipse his artistic contributions, but for now we have this movie to remind us why, for ..
Hammer To Nail
4.5
very solid, totally respectable, well cast, well acted, slow burn political thriller potboiler.
FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los A ..
5.0
This is a wonderful, insightful introduction to the man and his music, both complicated but worthwhile subjects.
We Are Movie Geeks
4.0
Zellweger, herself making a kind of screen comeback, absolutely embodies a forty something Garland, even singing up a storm with a fabulous turn that ..
Jmuvies Blog Spot
3.0
Birth of the Cool is most riveting when documenting the boundary pushing sounds that Davis created
3.8
Birth of the Cool doesnt pull any punches, either, letting friends and family reveal unflattering episodes and aspects of Davis complicated personalit ..
Deseret News (Salt Lake Ci ..
4.5
I will always appreciate a doc that leans heavily into the subjects own voice and art.
Nonfics
4.0
This documentary unpacks the mans life and what a tapestry it is.
City Press (South Africa)
4.5
The documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, by the African American director Stanley Nelson, offers an amalgamation of good cinema and formidable ..
La Jornada
3.1
Movie review: Extensive documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool isnt as groundbreaking as its icon subject Although not as groundbreaking as its su ..
The Oklahoman
1.5
Will the world remember this whistleblowers tale Maybe, but it wont remember this movie.
1.5
It wouldnt work if Lumbly didnt capture Daviss grumble, so its fortunate that he does.
Seattle Film Blog
4.5
In Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, Director Stanley Nelson frames Davis return to a reality in which he was not wanted but his music was as the cataly ..
The Fix
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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool