Unmistaken Child 2009

Kevin B. Lee, Time Out: The documentary stands as a visually candid and picturesque peek into one of the world's most mysterious practices. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: Read more

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: [Director] Baratz's access to every stage of the process -- from Zopa's selection of a candidate to the testing of that candidate to the blessing of the Dalai Lama himself -- is phenomenal, almost indescribably privileged. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: Baratz's apparent willingness to accept everything at face value papers over some of the more troubling aspects of Tenzin's mission, but Unmistaken Child allows the mysteries of the process to be preserved without judgment. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: You could argue that the film would be stronger if it explained more fully and asked more questions, yet "Unmistaken Child'' stands as a window on a beautiful and mysterious world. The questions it leaves hanging are for us to untangle. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Its privileged glimpse deep into unfamiliar spiritual territory has the strength of revelation. Read more

Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader: Films that address faith and love as eloquently as this moving 2008 documentary are rare. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: The story unfolds in Israeli director Nati Baratz's intriguing, beautifully filmed documentary Unmistaken Child, which records Tenzin Zopa's search and its aftermath. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: [Director] Baratz doesn't ask any of the obvious questions, preferring to observe uncritically, and if you can do the same, you may find Unmistaken Child worth seeing. I could not, and grew restless. Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: Unmistaken Child stands above most others in offering us an intimate look at Tibetan Buddhism in action, with no external commentary or narration. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: A compelling documentary about events that followed the 2001 death of the revered Tibetan master Geshe Lama Kochog. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: This documentary is only partly a story of the chosen one; mainly, and more intriguingly, it's a chronicle of the choosing one, of the nervous young monk charged with the job of leading the search party. Read more

Greg Quill, Toronto Star: The film is fascinating on every level -- as a portrait of a willing servant in a complex, powerful and inscrutable religious system and a feast of spectacular sights and unusual mundane events in a corner of the world rarely exposed to prying eyes. Read more

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out: Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: The movie is a drama of faith, a Tibetan monk's search for the reincarnation of his beloved master Lama Konchog. Read more

Dan Zak, Washington Post: Adorable, moving, bewildering, sad and, ultimately, peaceful. Read more