25
Metascore
25 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 50The A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyThe A.V. ClubIgnatiy VishnevetskyIt’s the kind of curio that’s arguably more interesting to think about than to watch — a plodding melodrama that mixes royalty-free Elvis worship with preachy proselytizing.
- 40The Hollywood ReporterJustin LoweThe Hollywood ReporterJustin LoweThis passably palatable film never hits any real high notes.
- 32Film.comKate ErblandFilm.comKate ErblandEmbarrassing and weird.
- 30Village VoiceAmy NicholsonVillage VoiceAmy NicholsonA cardboard cutout of a movie.
- 30The DissolveScott TobiasThe DissolveScott TobiasEven allowing The Identical its premise, the reframing of the Elvis myth as a wholesome example of following God’s plan is not as inspirational as the film seems to believe. Rock fantasies are rarely this milquetoast.
- 25McClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreMcClatchy-Tribune News ServiceRoger MooreA musical mashup of Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis biography and myth, The Identical plays like a failed faith-based “Inside Llewyn Davis.” And that’s the closest thing to a compliment it will get.
- 25New York PostKyle SmithNew York PostKyle SmithWhen the legend of Elvis is reimagined as a mushy Christian heartwarmer in The Identical, it’s as if “Boogie Nights” is playing in the background while we hear about the life story of Edna, Dirk Diggler’s nice librarian cousin from Idaho.
- 25Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsChicago TribuneMichael PhillipsPlaying the title role as well as the Dream role, real-life Elvis tribute artist Blake Rayne is more convincing when he's singing than when he isn't. But he has little to explore beyond bashful smiles.
- 20Austin ChronicleAustin ChronicleEvidently made with deep pockets but muddled intentions, The Identical is a folly largely unworthy of its hidden idol.
- 0Slant MagazineChuck BowenSlant MagazineChuck BowenThe film's so preoccupied with being "inspirational" that it disastrously fails to evoke the allure of rock n' roll, particularly in America in the 1950s, when it represented an erosion of racial and sexual barriers.