On Broadway

Listening to Helen Mirren or Ian McKellen rhapsodize about the immediacy and intimacy of live theater is intoxicating.

Despite all the glitz and money talk, what the film unequivocally conveys is the elemental reason we are drawn to the theater in the first place.

This smart and spirited film reminds us that there's still nothing in American entertainment like the Broadway ritual of hundreds of live, superbly talented performers playing to thousands of live, rapt theatergoers six nights a week.

The approach is similar to that of a generic jukebox musical, speeding by all the greatest hits without delving deeply enough into any of them.

"On Broadway" sure knows how to work a theater-lover's heart.

A fast-paced and entertaining, if not particularly deep, primer.

On Broadway doesnt exactly break new ground, but it does offer a fascinating blow-by-blow account of Broadways past 50 years.

On Broadway isn't the last word on the state of Broadway musicals, but it is a well-researched history of the ups and downs of the theater district's past 50 years.

The doc doesn't have an argument. It takes audiences through the vicissitudes of the theatre scene amiably, but somewhat aimlessly.

As a celebration of theatre, featuring clips of everything from Evita to Shrek the Musical , On Broadway is hard to fault.