Greetings from Tim Buckley 2013

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: It's sweet, sentimental, almost inevitably touching if not especially persuasive, brushing against the thorns in each man's life without drawing blood. Read more

Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times: Algrant's desire to reunite father and son through music is admirable, but "Greetings from Tim Buckley" is too meandering and ethereal to have any lasting impact. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: Badgley is terrific, and even if he doesn't quite succeed in making Jeff Buckley likeable, he does make the singer's standoffish attitude understandable. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: This is a melancholy wisp of a movie. Yet it lingers in the heart. Read more

William Goss, Film.com: The concert may have seen the reluctant birth of a second-generation rock star, but this movie, if nothing else, is a similarly suitable showcase for its own leading man. Read more

Deborah Young, Hollywood Reporter: Dan Algrant's lyrical recreation of a father-son relationship seen over time, through memory and music, has a sense of urgent originality that works even apart from its great Tim Buckley score. Read more

Scott Tobias, NPR: What redeems the film, ultimately, are Jeff's poignant efforts to unburden himself of his father's oppressive legacy and stand on his own merits. Read more

Jim Farber, New York Daily News: For all [Badgley's] efforts, the movie itself ends up little more than an exploitation item, a sad place-holder until the real thing comes along. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: In paying homage to two iconic performers, he's given a former small-screen star the chance to announce his own cinematic arrival. Read more

Sara Stewart, New York Post: Director Daniel Algrant chose well with Badgley, who transcends the rather made-for-TV vibe with a decent rendition of Buckley's haunting falsetto. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Jeff's accidental drowning death in 1997, at 30, underscores the sense of loss in a heartfelt and deeply moving film. It'll get to you. Read more

Chris Riemenschneider, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Penn Badgley delivers a pivotal performance as the younger Buckley, coming off with just enough pretentiousness and attitude. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Badgley does a credible take on the signature falsetto that Jeff would later bring to his only album, Grace ... Read more

David Fear, Time Out: Little of the chops and charisma Buckley fils had in spades is channeled; this is still the usual Let Us Now Praise Famous Men karaoke session, wrapped up in some extra-discordantly warbled notes. Read more

Dennis Harvey, Variety: The result is at once skillfully observed and a bit so-what. Read more

Calum Marsh, Village Voice: Badgley delivers a nuanced performance of such ferocity he almost singlehandedly makes a conventional film seem loose and improvisatory. Read more