70
Not many documentaries about poverty in the developing world are so hopeful; you can't help wondering what Brabbée's camera will find among the Bachara in another decade.
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What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
50
The Hollywood Reporter by Frank Scheck
While Highway Courtesans has many relevant points to make about the subjugation of women in impoverished societies, it lacks the focus and narrative momentum to sustain its admittedly brief running time.
50
The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis
Nine years in the making and timeless in its observations, Highway Courtesans is an intimate look at some of the youngest practitioners of the world’s oldest profession.
40
Earnest but prosaic.
50
TV Guide Magazine by Maitland McDonagh
Ultimately, the film feels unfocused and attenuated, despite its brief running time.
63
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
Highway Courtesans carries a feeling of truth, of bravely facing problems that are pressing and real. It's a good, informative piece on the oldest profession--and on how the world differs from what we usually see in the movies.
70
Chicago Reader by Reece Pendleton
The tradition goes back centuries, but by tracking the seven-year odyssey of a young girl named Guddi from dutiful daughter to family rebel, Brabbee is able to puncture the system's facade of social acceptability, exposing its contradictions in memorable fashion.
50
Brabbee, artistic director of the Nantucket Film Festival, is to be commended for her dedication to this project, but the film isn't hefty enough for a theatrical release. Public TV would be a better showcase.