52
Metascore
15 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 67Austin ChronicleRussell SmithAustin ChronicleRussell SmithThere's an undeniable energy, originality and -- most hearteningly -- optimism here that makes Beefcake well worth your time, shortcomings and all.
- 63Boston GlobeBoston GlobeIt leaves you with an odd, sweet-and-sour taste - nostalgia painted in pastel colors, streaked with black smears.
- 60VarietyDennis HarveyVarietyDennis HarveyAs a mix of nonfiction and wafer-thin drama, however, it's a genial mess in which both elements emerge undercooked
- 60Los Angeles TimesKevin ThomasLos Angeles TimesKevin ThomasAn illuminating and engrossing look at the life and times of pioneer Los Angeles physique photographer Bob Mizer
- 50Film.comErnest HardyFilm.comErnest HardyLike the melancholy remininces of an old relative who lived through an exciting, even harrowing time, but no longer possesses the mental faculties to really flesh out the tale they're spinning.
- 50New York Daily NewsJami BernardNew York Daily NewsJami BernardThis movie's attempt to reinvent Mizer as a First Amendment hero isn't as effective as its triumphant display of beefcake, which is, after all, the movie's raison d'etre.
- 40Chicago ReaderLisa AlspectorChicago ReaderLisa AlspectorUltimately this is a sharp-focus issue movie, decrying intolerance as it explores the effects of labeling, the complexity of fetishizing, and the differences between business and crime.
- 38New York PostJonathan ForemanNew York PostJonathan ForemanA campy docu-drama about the secretly gay world of 1950's muscle magazines.
- 20L.A. WeeklyL.A. WeeklyDull, tacky docudrama