50
The New York Times by Ben Kenigsberg
Those looking to learn the basic outlines of the life of the singer Chavela Vargas could do worse than watch Chavela, but this plodding documentary from Catherine Gund and Daresha Kyi rarely transcends simple biography
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Brad Wheeler
The story is simply told: the rise, fall and comeback of a lesbian trailblazer and soul-crushed singer. Chavela the person is more fascinating than Chavela the film – a tequila-sunrise love letter to an unknown icon.
90
TheWrap by Claudia Puig
The captivating documentary Chavela, directed by Catherine Gund (“Born to Fly”) and Daresha Kyi, mesmerizes with its impressionistic blend of archival photos, musical performances, concert footage and candid interviews with the legendary singer herself, as well with her ardent friends like Pedro Almodóvar and former lovers.
67
Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten
A well-chosen collection of friends and former lovers provides reminiscences that flesh out Chavela’s challenging personality. However, the documentary provides scant information about the challenges Chavela faced in her career.
63
Washington Post by Mark Jenkins
The result is a solid if conventional bio.
75
Chicago Tribune by Michael Phillips
More than a female singing cowboy, Vargas was ranchera incarnate, whether singing the material of drinking companion Jose Alfredo Jimenez or her own cathartic cries from the heart. The film is a fond but clear-eyed tribute.
63
RogerEbert.com by Nick Allen
The film is too ordinary to feel like it does her legacy complete artistic justice.
80
Los Angeles Times by Sheri Linden
Celebrating a great ranchera interpreter without sugarcoating her, this straightforward film honors her approach.
63
Slant Magazine by Wes Greene
The film's hopscotching-in-time structure, informed by specific remembrances of Chavela Vargas's life, is refreshingly unconventional.