The beauty of The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack lies in its ability to transform itself into a sad tale of loss, regret and missed opportunities while it also remains a solid documentary about a once-influential artist seeking his place in the sun.
80
VarietyDennis Harvey
VarietyDennis Harvey
An unbeatably colorful life story.
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
The archival and interview footage is priceless.
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Elevated out of the music-documentary genre to become something of an intriguing mystery -- and one with no neat solution.
75
Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Inquirer
What gives the story added insight - and detracts from it - is the personal quest of the filmmaker who bears the scars of having an itinerant rogue who was never around as a father.
75
San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
Ends up musing perceptively on the American dream of wanderlust and its unintended consequences.
75
Miami HeraldSara Wildberger
Miami HeraldSara Wildberger
A long overdue look at the man's art and an unself-pitying and unsparing exploration of her (his daughter's) relationship with him.
75
San Francisco ExaminerWesley Morris
San Francisco ExaminerWesley Morris
The ballad as it turns out is a duet between a dad and his girl, who'd often rather accentuate the positive than exploit pain, quietly proving that she is her father's daughter.