Quest

Released Dec 1, 2017

1h 45m

Documentary

Music

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Quest: Trailer 1

2:16

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98%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

75%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

Filmed over the course of eight years, filmmaker Jonathan Olshefski chronicles the daily struggles and successes of the Raineys, an African-American family living in Philadelphia.

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Critics Consensus

Simultaneously sweeping and intimate, Quest uses one family's experiences to offer thoughtful, wide-ranging observations about modern American life.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Tthe family members - Quest; his rock-solid wife, Christine'a; and their teenage daughter P.J., who gains in character and complexity as she grows up before our eyes-are too individualized to represent anything but their own determination and decency.

Apr 16, 2020

Full Review

Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

The filmmakers are content to allow us to spend time with these people; they recognize the power of connection and compassion.

Mar 23, 2020

Full Review

Jonathan Romney

Film Comment Magazine

Ordinariness-and [Jonathan] Olshefski's ordinary, level-headed approach to documenting their life-is the keynote of this intensely moving and involving film.

Mar 8, 2018

Full Review

Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

...it’s honest and real, and viewers are trusted to respect the limitations and perspectives of the protagonists rather than being urged to suddenly turn on them...

Jan 12, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Filmed over the course of approximately a decade, this powerful and poignant picture moves well beyond its original niche.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 21, 2019

Full Review

Phil Guie

Film-Forward.com

Moments like these speak to people's basic humanity and, combined with the Rainey clan's refusal to suffer defeat, give us reason to be optimistic.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 21, 2019

Full Review

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richard i

Nothing much wrong with this peaceful tracking of an impoverished family, though the story of how someone came to choose them and then followed them around for literally years with their consent is probably a more interesting one than this umpteenth reportage on 'our problem society', which is basically pornography for social workers (though it's true that I have never been party to a teenager losing her eye before, so however voyeuristic it may be, there will be some long-term value to this piece for future researchers of the early twenty-first century)

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Tim G

Raw and real, depressing at some turns given the family's challenges (some like random violence that only exist because of where they live) but powerful and uplifting at most others because of the strength of the family bonds and their surrounding community.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/07/18

Full Review

Audience Member

Heartbreaking look at a family's experiences during the Obama administration. At first they're excited but over time we see them fall prey to gun violence and realize that the hope and change they were promised was nothing but a lie.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Quiet, but profound. The characters and story captured in this documentary film are just as deep and moving as any screenwriter could dream up. Probably more so. Enlightening for anyone, regardless of political persuasion, because it simply shows how real family and community are actually affected by the many issues we debate in our public discourse.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautiful film that shows an amazing family's story through difficult and everyday situations. I thought about their story long after I left the theater.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

dave d

It's an interesting documentary on the family inner city minority dynamic, but there are gaps that drag it a bit. You can't help but root for these guys. Final Score: 7.9/10

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Jonathan Olshefski

Director

Nas

Self

James Blakely

Self

Christopher Rainey

Self

Tyrone Moore

Self

Ammo

Self

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Quest: Trailer 1

2:16

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Synopsis

Filmed over the course of eight years, filmmaker Jonathan Olshefski chronicles the daily struggles and successes of the Raineys, an African-American family living in Philadelphia.

Director: Jonathan Olshefski
Distributor: First Run Features
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 1, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 8, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $26.8K
Runtime: 1h 45m

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