Quest

Play trailer

2:16

Quest

2017

1h 45m

Documentary

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

61 Reviews

75%

Popcornmeter

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.

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

04/16/2020

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.

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Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

03/23/2020

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

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Jonathan Romney

Film Comment Magazine

03/08/2018

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

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Vadim Rizov

Filmmaker Magazine

01/12/2023

...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...

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

07/21/2019

3.5/4

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

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Phil Guie

Film-Forward.com

03/21/2019

5/5

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.

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Tim G

07/07/2018

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.

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03/15/2018

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.

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01/19/2018

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.

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12/25/2017

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.

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dave d

12/07/2017

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

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12/01/2017

Fantastic film. The twist in the middle is breathtaking. One of my all time favorites shown at True/False Film Festival.

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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
Producer: Sabrina Schmidt Gordon
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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