Anthem

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Anthem

PG

2023

1h 38m

Documentary

Music

History

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Popcornmeter

63%

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8 Reviews

14%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Reflecting upon "The Star-Spangled Banner," Anthem follows acclaimed composer Kris Bowers ("Bridgerton," "When They See Us," "King Richard") and GRAMMY®-winning music producer Dahi (Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Drake) as they take a musical journey traveling across America to create a new sound, inspired by what our country's national anthem might be if written in today's time.

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Noel Murray

Los Angeles Times

Even when the history lessons and conversations in Anthem are too curtailed and superficial, they do at least spark the viewer’s imagination.

Jul 7, 2023

Full Review

Devika Girish

New York Times

Where the film’s archival footage demonstrates the limits of respectability politics, Anthem ends up being overly respectable -- and inevitably reductive.

Jun 29, 2023

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Peyton Robinson

RogerEbert.com

“Anthem” is a love letter to the art form and the diversity in the country where many of these genres originated, but it fails to fully realize itself.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 28, 2023

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

This documentary is supposed to be about a diverse group of people creating a new U.S. national anthem, but people of Asian heritage are mostly excluded from this movie. It's a travelogue and a long commercial for the song that's performed at the end.

Jul 1, 2023

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

While mostly sidestepping politics, this inspirational documentary is a celebration of American diversity through music.

Jun 30, 2023

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Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

... "Anthem" is sobering, but as it’s more frequently interested in being accessible, it lacks teeth to confront the troubling history with any temerity.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 26, 2023

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David T

Powerful doc that explores the idea of a new, more reflective anthem. I really enjoyed the journey through various musical genres and the way the producers melded them into a beautiful piece at the end. It this decisive political era it is great to see and feel something bring us all together!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/20/23

Full Review

Evan S

America has its flaws but this film failed to represent all of America. How do we forget native Americans in the representation of the new "anthem". Happy fourth and can't wait to sign up for YouTube plus!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/04/23

Full Review

Mrs B

The premise behind the journey was great! The knowledge learned along the way was excellent! However, I have a few criticisms. Starting with the chorus of the song and the fact that an Asian American woman was not present in the recording studio. The chorus stated "this is our native land" when we all know that to not be true! The only person singing that part of the song should have been Joy! This land was stolen from her people and the rest of us arrived on ships, most of us by force! I will also state that the resistance and slight anger from Charity is exactly what is wrong with this country! She, like most people, never think about what this country represents from another race's perspective! I think the "proud American" should be educated before participating in and forming an opinion on people who dislike what most of this country represents! And how did we just totally skip over the second verse of the national anthem?? Why wasn't that brought up and the public educated on the racism that exists in the national anthem?? Kapernick took a knee for a reason! How does a documentary about the national anthem just kind of glaze over the blatant racism in the anthem?!?

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/04/23

Full Review

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Peter Nicks

Director

Kris Bowers

Self

Joy Harjo

Self

Ruby Amanfu

Self

DJ Dahi

Self

Charity Bowden

Self

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Synopsis

Reflecting upon "The Star-Spangled Banner," Anthem follows acclaimed composer Kris Bowers ("Bridgerton," "When They See Us," "King Richard") and GRAMMY®-winning music producer Dahi (Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Drake) as they take a musical journey traveling across America to create a new sound, inspired by what our country's national anthem might be if written in today's time.

Director: Peter Nicks
Producer: Peter Nicks, Kris Bowers, Sean Havey, Chris L Jenkins, Ryan Coogler
Distributor: Hulu
Production Co: This Machine, Proximity
Rating: PG (Language and Thematic Material)
Genre: Documentary, Music, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 28, 2023
Runtime: 1h 38m

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