Beware of Mr. Baker 2012

David Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle: This is warts and all, with the emphasis on the warts. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: Mr. Bulger ... does not let "Behind the Music" sensationalism overwhelm the music itself, which is Mr. Baker's great passion and the only reason anyone should take an interest in him. Read more

Charles Cross, Seattle Times: Ginger Baker is, and was, a train wreck. Yet this film, like Baker's onstage playing, is always riveting, and something you can't look away from. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: The life story of a man who's led one hell of a fascinating life. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: Ginger Baker has been revealed as a major talent, an innovator and an unlikely survivor. And a not very nice guy. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: The movie salutes the rhythms and the wreckage. Read more

John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: Colorful, loud doc digs into the peculiar life of one of rock's most bombastic drummers. Read more

Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times: The takeaway: great musician, deficient family man, taxing friend and bandmate, excellent documentary subject. Read more

John Anderson, Newsday: Any movie that starts with the subject assaulting the director (Baker smacks plucky first-timer Jay Bulger squarely in the face with his cane) is already ahead of the game. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Miserable individuals do tend to make for interesting subject matter, and this would be far more of a dry biography without its willfully eccentric lead. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: If Clapton was God, guess who was the devil? Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Beware of Mr. Baker" argues that when an artist consistently delivers amazement, broken beaks and busted relationships are a fair price to pay. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: Bulger tries, unconvincingly, to paint Baker as a difficult but admirable rebel. The lingering question in the documentary is whether his musical accomplishments were worth the trail of damage. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: It gives Baker his musical props while at the same time demonstrating the film's title is no exaggeration. Read more

Dave Calhoun, Time Out: It's refreshing to watch a music doc, especially one with such intimate access to its subject, in which barely anyone is unreservedly polite about the person in question. Read more

Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out: You'll love the idea that someone like this deserves a movie, but with the whole of heavy metal in his debt, the honor is merited and handled with honesty. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: When a documentary begins with its subject using his crutch to deliver a vicious blow to the director's nose, it's reasonably safe to expect less-than-smooth sailing ahead. Read more

Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice: In spite of Bulger's errors of tone, the movie stands as an engaging tussle with the question of what is permissible with the excuse of art. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: "Beware of Mr. Baker" is comprehensive, if somewhat overly glowing. Read more