65
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 88New York PostSara StewartNew York PostSara StewartNaz & Maalik does what all great New York movies do: ground unique, engaging stories in the middle of the glorious chaos that is our city.
- 83The PlaylistKatie WalshThe PlaylistKatie WalshA refreshing and relevant cinematic representation, Naz & Maalik is an impressive debut for the filmmaker and actors.
- 70Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlVillage VoiceAlan ScherstuhlIt's no news that a filmmaker's debut is mostly 90 minutes of a couple kids gabbing on the streets of Brooklyn. But writer/director Jay Dockendorf's buoyant, tragic, richly textured walking-and-talking job Naz & Maalik exhibits none of the shambling narcissism that so often characterizes such projects.
- 63RogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleyRogerEbert.comSheila O'MalleySome viewers may find all the walking and talking tedious, evidence of a film spinning its wheels. But these are the best sections of Naz & Maalik.
- 60The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenDespite its deficiencies, Naz & Maalik feels authentic, and Mr. Johnson and Mr. Cook bring their characters completely alive.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThe Hollywood ReporterSheri LindenThough Dockendorf doesn’t deliver the intended dramatic punch, he’s fully in sync with his lead characters, and Cook and Johnson are never less than engaging.
- 50VarietyGeoff BerkshireVarietyGeoff BerkshireThe intense focus on the two lead characters emerges as both a strength and a weakness. There’s a lot of walking and talking, and what begins as rather charming ultimately turns tedious, even with a fleet 80-minute running time before closing credits factor in.