Personality Crisis: One Night Only

2022

2 hr. 7 min.

Biography

Documentary

Music

List

100%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

60%

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Audience Score

Continuing his vibrant and invaluable documentaries about iconic American artists and musicians such as George Harrison: Living in the Material World, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, and the Fran Lebowitz portrait Public Speaking, Martin Scorsese turns his camera on another beloved New York institution: the singular David Johansen. Equally celebrated as the lead singer-songwriter of the androgynous '70s glam punk groundbreakers The New York Dolls and for his complete reinvention as hepcat lounge lizard Buster Poindexter in the '80s, the chameleonic Johansen has created an entire genre unto himself, combining swing, blues, and rock for something at once mischievous and deeply personal.

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Showtime

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David A

There are few like Johansen, and this set was part lounge act and historical document of one of the greatest rock artists.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/06/23

Full Review

Caroline T

David is a one-of-a-kind performer and New Yorker. A must watch for us old punks.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/28/23

Full Review

Louis P

Not trying to be mean but this seems like a simple fake it till you make it type deal.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

04/27/23

Full Review

S R

Painfully boring. The personality crisis is David's, he can't be authentic for one moment.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

04/27/23

Full Review

Alex G

An excellent look at one of the all time great musicians of the punk rock era! Great interviews and a wealth of interesting period footage to go with them.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/22/23

Full Review

Davey M

Fans of David Johansen will probably love this movie. I found the interviews and the old footage interesting but the live Carlyle performance, which takes up the bulk of the film, boring. I found myself fast forwarding through the songs to get to the next historic part.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

04/17/23

Full Review

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Martin Scorsese

Director

David Tedeschi

Director

David Johansen

Self

Margaret Bodde

Producer

Martin Scorsese

Producer

Justin Wilkes

Producer

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Dmitry Samarov

Chicago Reader

What raises this above the typical nostalgia-logged music doc is the clear sense that Johansen is not reliving his long discography onstage but continuing to live it in that moment.

Apr 26, 2023

Full Review

Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

Just by looking at this history you get a deep richness about American culture.

Apr 24, 2023

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

It's impossible not to walk away from this project without a greater appreciation of Johansen as an artist.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 17, 2023

Full Review

Alan French

Sunshine State Cineplex

For Personality Crisis: One Night Only, directors David Tedeschi and Martin Scorsese combine forces. They explore his eclectic career using archival footage and footage from a recent lounge show.

Rated: 7/10

Apr 22, 2023

Full Review

Fletcher Powell

KMUW - Wichita Public Radio

This film is immensely entertaining.

Apr 21, 2023

Full Review

Johnny Loftus

Decider

At its center, Personality Crisis: One Night Only is a platform for a consummate showman, and David Johansen, together with the exquisite framing and lighting of his Carlyle Cafe set, seats the viewer in the room.

Apr 17, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

Continuing his vibrant and invaluable documentaries about iconic American artists and musicians such as George Harrison: Living in the Material World, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, and the Fran Lebowitz portrait Public Speaking, Martin Scorsese turns his camera on another beloved New York institution: the singular David Johansen. Equally celebrated as the lead singer-songwriter of the androgynous '70s glam punk groundbreakers The New York Dolls and for his complete reinvention as hepcat lounge lizard Buster Poindexter in the '80s, the chameleonic Johansen has created an entire genre unto himself, combining swing, blues, and rock for something at once mischievous and deeply personal.

Director: Martin Scorsese, David Tedeschi
Executive Producer: Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Mara Hennessey, Rick Yorn, Vinnie Malhotra
Genre: Biography, Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 14, 2023

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