79
Metascore
11 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 90The New York TimesNicolas RapoldThe New York TimesNicolas RapoldIn following two young women employed as range riders in Idaho, the film presents its own modern-day picture of hard work and camaraderie.
- 88RogerEbert.comPeter SobczynskiRogerEbert.comPeter SobczynskiDespite my ostensible disinterest in the subject at hand, I found myself mesmerized by this spare, affecting, and powerfully humane work that may seem quiet and reserved, but which ends up packing a surprisingly powerful emotional punch by the end.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThe Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenAs the filmmaker traces a season of range riding for two exceptionally skilled and resourceful young women, her documentary becomes more than a portrait of against-the-elements fortitude; it poses piercing existential questions about purpose and independence, particularly for women choosing work that has long been deemed the exclusive province of men.
- 80VarietyTomris LafflyVarietyTomris LafflyThink of John Ford vistas by way of Kelly Reichardt’s lyricism, soulfully underscored by Bach, and you’ll be roughly in Mahdavian’s vicinity.
- 80Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinLos Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinDon’t go into the immersive, observational documentary “Bitterbrush” looking for profound insights or roiling conflict but rather a captivating and meditative look at two intrepid young women surviving — and seasonally thriving — in a traditionally male-dominated field: cattle herding.
- 75IndieWireKristen LopezIndieWireKristen LopezWith Bitterbrush, Mahdavian announces herself as a filmmaker with a keen eye for capturing the contradictions and complexities of outsider women’s lives.
- 75The PlaylistCarlos AguilarThe PlaylistCarlos AguilarMahdavian’s nonfiction proposes something distinct: a subtle portrayal of non-sensational humanity.
- 75Movie NationRoger MooreMovie NationRoger MooreMahdavian is content to sketch in these lives and simply observe two women at their jobs.
- 75The A.V. ClubMartin TsaiThe A.V. ClubMartin TsaiBitterbrush director Emelie Mahdavian allows you to tag along with two range riders, listen in on intimate conversations, and bask in spectacular and sometimes unforgiving nature as you observe their way of life.
- 67The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakMahdavian gives us enough for context and motivation before letting Colie and Hollyn take over with their enthusiasm and love of nature, and this opportunity to absorb it on a level very few people can. Because it won’t last. Life will interfere. So embrace the awe without regrets.