Al Purdy Was Here

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Al Purdy Was Here

2015

1h 30m

Biography

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100%

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7 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Canadian musicians and artists come together to tell the life story of Al Purdy.

Brad Wheeler

Globe and Mail

If we didn't know who Al Purdy was before, we do now.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 4, 2015

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Martin Knelman

Toronto Star

Brian D. Johnson makes a strong transformation from Maclean's film critic to documentary director with this engaging account of the late Al Purdy, the colourful rebel poet who became a CanLit star.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 3, 2015

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Angelo Muredda

Cinema Scope

The mostly assured trafficking between a chronicle of Purdy's career and an assessment of his literary and familial legacy is the film's main strength, but also something of a liability.

Nov 13, 2017

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Adrian Mack

Georgia Straight

Canada's greatest poet receives a warm and eminently watchable tribute from critic turned filmmaker Brian D. Johnson.

Feb 22, 2016

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Michael D. Reid

Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada)

An affectionate documentry that is captivating enough to make you want to learn more ab out this droll, beer-loving wordsmith.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 12, 2016

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Alison Gillmor

Winnipeg Free Press

Al Purdy Was Here is not a definitive portrait, and probably isn't meant to be. Instead, the film uses an image here, an anecdote there, to build up a dynamic sense of an elusive and complex personality.

Rated: 3.5/5

Dec 3, 2015

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Audience Member

Don't watch this shite.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

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Brian D. Johnson

Director

Brian D. Johnson

Screenwriter

Marni Jackson

Screenwriter

Brian D. Johnson

Producer

Nick de Pencier

Cinematographer

Nick Taylor

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Synopsis

Canadian musicians and artists come together to tell the life story of Al Purdy.

Director: Brian D. Johnson
Producer: Brian D. Johnson
Screenwriter: Brian D. Johnson, Marni Jackson
Production Co: CBC documentary channel, Purdy Pictures, Rogers Documentary Fund
Genre: Biography
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 30m