Critic Reviews

• Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

  The result is doubly satisfying: We get not only a trenchant political drama but a bang-up concert film as well.

• Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times

  The affection between the musicians and Simon is clear. The portrait that emerges time and again is personal and a reflection of the realities of apartheid.

• Stephen Holden, New York Times

  [It] does an excellent job of recapitulating the controversies surrounding the album's creation without bearing down too heavily on old news, while subtly taking Mr. Simon's side against his critics.

• Tim Grierson, Village Voice

  It's a pleasant surprise that Under African Skies not only draws attention to the controversy surrounding its subject matter but digs into it a little.

• Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

  A harmonious, fair-minded, energetic and enlightening portrait of one masterpiece's moment in time.

• Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

  Powered by Paul Simon's brilliance, Under African Skies is a cultural lightning bolt that soars on its music and an unshakable belief in the transcendence of art.

• Meredith Borders, Badass Digest

  UNDER AFRICAN SKIES is much smarter and more profound than most music documentaries. It's a powerful, beautifully executed film that entertains, informs and questions.

• Jason Gorber, Twitch

  It's a blissful film, this work by Berlinger and co., a sheer privilege for the viewer to spend such quality time UNDER AFRICAN SKIES.

• Michael Sauter, Film Journal International

  This absorbing documentary takes an up-close and intimate look at the musicians' creative process, then zooms out to recall the political turmoil that this landmark album left in its wake.

• Sarah Boslaugh, PopMatters

  ...Berlinger saves Under African Skies from that pedestrian course by his insistence on confronting the political issues Simon seems to have hoped would have faded by now.

• Mark Pfeiffer, Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

  Under African Skies takes what could have been a puff piece glossing over the protestations related to Graceland and teaches the controversy.

• Kenji Fujishima, Slant Magazine

  It does lightly suggest scintillating questions about the responsibility artists have in reflecting current political moments in their music.

• Christopher Campbell, Movies.com

  Berlinger's doc expertly captures the debate of the time and where it's at now, 25 years later.

• Noel Murray, AV Club

  What's most exciting about Under African Skies is how it engages with whether artists have social and political responsibilities, and if so, what those might entail.

Read all 14 critic reviews