Between the World and Me

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Between the World and Me

2020

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Critics Consensus

Between the World and Me is a powerful rumination on racial inequality in America, bringing Ta-Nehisi Coates' words to life with excellent performances and kinetic direction by Kamilah Forbes.

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Melanie McFarland

Salon.com

Coates' writing packs clarity into its lyricism, and at just shy of an hour and 20 minutes Forbes' film honors the book's relative economy while enriching every frame with poignance, augmented by Bradford Young's arresting cinematography.

Nov 23, 2020

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David Robb

Slant Magazine

The film doesn't offer the most incisive social commentary, but as a document of our contemporary political moment, its force is undeniable.

Rated: 2.5/4

Nov 21, 2020

Full Review

Hank Stuever

Washington Post

Old news footage transitions to recent outrages; dreams are shattered and reassembled to reflect unflinching truths. There's as much to look at as there is to hear; the words and images meld almost seamlessly.

Nov 20, 2020

Full Review

Victor Stiff

Dope Black Movies

You could release Between the World and Me in any decade, and it would feel timely. But given what we've experienced in 2020, this film couldn't arrive at a better time.

Mar 6, 2021

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Dan Schindel

Hyperallergic

It expresses Coates's words through a multitude of actors, turning a singular perspective into a chorus of voices.

Feb 8, 2021

Full Review

Marty Brown

Common Sense Media

Memoir adaptation highlights police brutality and racism.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 16, 2021

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Audience Member

Trying to catch my breath, blinking back tears so I can see to write, chest heaving and sighing, researching this man, Ta-Nehisi Coates, whose writing I had never taken the time to read. This movie is a brilliant and relatable gift given. I am so thankful for it. Initially it's easy to skip over, because you know it's not going to be a lark, not fun, a commitment. I became mesmerized by it while folding my clothes, the prose like poetry, delivering twice the impact in each sentence. A reading done by Mahershala Ali felt like my prayer to my own son. I believe everyone would do well to see this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Es una lástima, grandes personajes, pero no llega ni a la mitad del libro, no trasmite su poder, su visión global del problema. El documental se quedan en lo mismo de siempre, en el problema mal analizado, en la superficie del mismo. A diferencia del libro, que va muy a fondo.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Amazing movie telling one man’s individual story that represents the storyline of so many people. The multiple actors reading different parts of Coates book portray it as if it is their own in a realistic & touching way, because it is.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/26/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Obvious and formulaic

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

Full Review

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Kamilah Forbes

Director

Angela Bassett

Actor

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Between the World and Me: Trailer 1

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Director: Kamilah Forbes
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 21, 2020