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They Came to Play

Play trailer Poster for They Came to Play 2008 1h 21m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 72% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Enlightened amateurism is the theme of this documentary, which explores the hopes and desires of contestants in the Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. The film traces the event itself and the lives of the contestants. Despite their widely disparate backgrounds, the participants are united by their love of music and their chosen instrument, and are so impassioned, they're willing to face the nerve-shattering process of performance and judgement for recognition from their peers.

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They Came to Play

Critics Reviews

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Neil Genzlinger New York Times 08/13/2010
3.5/5
The proficiency they display at the keyboard is thrilling to see; whatever your own hobby is, you are likely to be awed by how much better these people are at theirs. Go to Full Review Michelle Orange Village Voice 08/10/2010
A welcome twist on the now-ubiquitous kiddie competition doc. Go to Full Review Elias Savada Film Threat 07/11/2015
3.5/5
The only thing amateur about the film are the players, though they are all winners. Meanwhile, They Came to Play inspires in the best documentary fashion. Go to Full Review Avi Offer NYC Movie Guru 08/13/2010
7.96/10
Delightfully entertaining, heartfelt and inspirational. It will keep you at the edge of your seat while making you cheer, laugh and feel genuinely awestruck by the sheer beauty of each piano performance. Go to Full Review Harvey S. Karten Compuserve 08/05/2010
B+
See this soulful doc about a piano competition and you'll never again think that "amateur" means "less than professional." Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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10/14/2012 The dedication and the amount of effort that these people put into playing the piano is simply amazing. I think that the families of these musicians didn't receive enough credit either for their sacrifices. Very good movie about amateurs competing at a professional level and the individual stories of why they are competing when the eventual payoff is not that great. See more 12/28/2011 I enjoyed the characters of the competitors as much as their music. I was stunned by some by their proficiency -- such incredible ability from "non-professionals". See more 09/05/2011 I play piano. I love to hear the classics. I was inspired by the performances in the documentary. The personal stories were absorbing but not so much as to miss the point: They Came To Play. This was time well spent. See more 06/07/2011 A passing documentary. If you don't mind listening to piano music for two hours (I watched this while doing chores), than it should be a fairly decent viewing. See more 04/03/2011 Not as good as I had hoped. Good to see these types of documentaries but it lacked focus. What it about the contest? The contestants? They needed to focus in on one person or one story. Without that focus it does not give you something to hang onto. See more 03/14/2011 Great piano pieces, some interesting true characters, and all the fun and drama you'd expect from a such a competition. See more Read all reviews
They Came to Play

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Cast & Crew

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Alex Rotaru

Director

Lori Miller

Producer

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They Came to Play

They Came to Play (2008) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Enlightened amateurism is the theme of this documentary, which explores the hopes and desires of contestants in the Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. The film traces the event itself and the lives of the contestants. Despite their widely disparate backgrounds, the participants are united by their love of music and their chosen instrument, and are so impassioned, they're willing to face the nerve-shattering process of performance and judgement for recognition from their peers.
Director
Alex Rotaru
Producer
Lori Miller
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 5, 2016
Runtime
1h 21m
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