This Is Us 2013

Miriam Bale, New York Times: With a group so evidently versed in the visuals of rock history, it's a shame that a filmmaker wasn't hired who would pay homage to classic pop films instead of offering a satisfactory paid promotional. Read more

Andrew Barker, Variety: The film's central fivesome prove charming pallbearers throughout the film, which alternates between inspired and insipid as it hits its hagiographic marks. Read more

A.A. Dowd, AV Club: Here and there, the faintest glimmer of actual drama presents itself. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: This doesn't set out to be a movie that gets at anything more than making the One Direction guys look adorable, if maybe just a little darker than your average boy-band bunch. Read more

Marc Hirsh, Boston Globe: It's not that Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson aren't charming and likable. The problem is that the movie offers no way of differentiating them beyond their hairstyles. Read more

Adam Graham, Detroit News: It might not make you a fan of One Direction, but it will certainly make you understand the group, which is the job of any good documentary. Read more

Chris Nashawaty, Entertainment Weekly: Essentially a slick, airbrushed promo reel of a bunch of genuinely sweet superstars who can't believe their dumb luck. That's charming. But it's also a little boring. What it's most definitely not is a documentary. Read more

Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: Adding another must-see item to their portfolio will surely only increase One Direction's popularity. Read more

Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times: "One Direction: This Is Us" leaves the larger questions it points toward teasingly unexplored, making the film little more than a harmless keepsake. Read more

Frank Lovece, Newsday: An airbrushed image of celibate wholesomeness without groupies or even girlfriends, and where evidently nothing stronger than milk passes these young men's lips. Read more

Jim Farber, New York Daily News: The stage footage, from Madison Square Garden to Mexico City's stadium, has some snazzy allure. The 3-D effects make fans feel like they could reach out and squeeze them. Read more

Sara Stewart, New York Post: No personal revelations surface in "This Is Us." Also, no narrative, no conflict - no differentiation between band members, even, besides the designation of dark-eyed Zayn as "the mysterious one" (he likes to paint). Read more

David Hiltbrand, Philadelphia Inquirer: The fact is that they are as criminally cute as a basketful of puppies. This Is Us manages to frame that boyish appeal astutely ... Read more

Christy Lemire, RogerEbert.com: This Is Us does what it needs to do for its target audience. But anyone looking for actual substance or insight will be disappointed and maybe even a little bored with its repetitive nature. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: A tour documentary that's so streamlined, it could only have been produced by a machine. Read more

Bill Zwecker, Chicago Sun-Times: The film is a successful witness to the great charm possessed by all five members of One Direction. Read more

Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: One Direction: This is Us is movie fan fare as slickly assembled as the manufactured English/Irish singing group itself. Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: For audiences willing to spend some time basking in the glow of the teen sensation of the moment, this docu-music-infomercial is as palatable, and as disposable, as the group's hit songs. Read more

Cath Clarke, Time Out: No warts, no acne -- there's not even a pimple on the butt of this on-tour portrait of the reality-bred boy popsters. Read more

Andrew Frisicano, Time Out: Adoring hordes will no doubt devour shots of shirtless head hunk Harry, simmering "quiet one" Zayn and the others goofing on their minders, while nonacolytes will giggle over the Jackass-lite pranks that seem to fill most of their downtime. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: A reasonably intriguing, if rather sanitized, look at these seemingly likable young entertainers. Read more

Amy Nicholson, Village Voice: Even calling the film a documentary feels deluded. Read more

Stephanie Merry, Washington Post: For the most part, the movie embraces harmless fun, which can be enjoyable for the audience members, whether they're 1D fans or not. Read more