Not only a very fine documentary, but a warm and likable one to boot.

| Jun 18, 2016

There's no pressing story to tell, or even especially vital achievement to record, so the film probably counts as bit of self-indulgence from Hawke, but it's got a very good heart.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 24, 2016

The great joy of the film, whether you know piano or not, is watching Bernstein teach.

| Original Score: B | Apr 10, 2015

Hawke's cinematic etude may not unlock all the mysteries of music, but "Seymour: An Introduction" is universal enough to be understood by a bananafish.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Apr 9, 2015

Coming off of his superb one-two performances for Richard Linklater in Before Midnight and Boyhood, Hawke continues to work at a creative high level. He demonstrates a rapport and openness with his subject that proves exceptionally affecting.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 26, 2015

Whether or not Hawke got any answers to his questions about the purpose of being artist, seeking them under the guidance of a teacher like Bernstein resulted in this work of art.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 26, 2015

Seymour: An Introduction is just that - not too much biography, or history. And one needn't be a music aficionado, or a musician, to appreciate the modest erudition coming from this man.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 26, 2015

By the end of our introduction, Bernstein emerges as a man who has found a way to build order out of life's chaos through music.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 26, 2015

Hawke chose well his subject; Bernstein is indeed an intriguing master and paragon of authenticity.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 26, 2015

His playing is beautiful - he was a gifted concert pianist who gave up the stage at 50 to concentrate on teaching and composing. His stories are tremendous. And his voice, clear and strong, is magnetic.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 26, 2015

"Seymour: An Introduction" gives viewers a soaring, sublime and enduringly meaningful glimpse of a man who is undoubtedly the real thing.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 26, 2015

It's hard to find much wrong with this film, itself a meditation on art and the practice of craft.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Mar 20, 2015

The movie's real subject is the difficulty -- and the critical importance -- of bringing into harmony one's personal and artistic lives, of being not only a good artist but a joyful one.

| Mar 19, 2015

Seymour: An Introduction is a delightful film experience about the transformative power of art.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 19, 2015

Bernstein in action is a study of what a teacher should be: kind but with a steely resolve. He analyzes the music and figures how to overcome its obstacles.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 19, 2015

A fondly made portrait ... of a gentle philosopher with a wicked wit, a superbly talented pianist who intellectually challenges and charms in equal parts.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 19, 2015

Unusual, intelligent documentary whose subject is a pleasure to spend time with.

| Mar 19, 2015

Hawke's first documentary is a perfect movie for a gray Sunday afternoon, a gentle and loving tribute to a man ... anachronistically convinced that talent is its own reward.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 17, 2015

The sweetness of the subject's nature and the gentle modulations of his speaking voice are so potent that it would seem not just uncivil but futile to contradict him; yet Hawke is too alert and too inquiring to let the movie subside into worship.

| Mar 15, 2015

The unfortunate disconnect between great artistry and great commercial success runs throughout history. But Bernstein is a special case because, unlike so many great musicians who fell unwillingly by the wayside, he chose his own path.

| Original Score: A | Mar 13, 2015