Entertainment Weekly by Owen Gleiberman

In the title role, Michael Peña has a no-nonsense fire: He captures how Chavez borrowed from Martin Luther King Jr. but also fueled the struggle with his own improvisatory brilliance.

McClatchy-Tribune News Service by Roger Moore

Like "42," Cesar Chavez lacks the budget to feel truly epic in scope. The violence is scattered, shocking and personal, the struggles within the union muted but the outrage — is palpable.

USA Today by Claudia Puig

Enlivened by a strong cast, Cesar Chavez is a straightforward and inspiring account of a noble man.

Chicago Sun-Times by Bill Zwecker

It’s Pena’s quietly powerful interpretation of Cesar Chavez the man that makes this movie work so well.

Arizona Republic by Bill Goodykoontz

It never quite takes off in a stirring, inspirational way, but moves steadily forward in solid fashion.

Portland Oregonian by Stephen Whitty

It's a clear and moving story, although the messier edges of the man have been smoothed out, and some of the victories may have been exaggerated to provide a happier ending.

Slant Magazine by Steve Macfarlane

Not unlike Michael Peña's prior supporting roles, Chavez is marked by an explosive anger kept under a cherubic, sweet-natured mask, providing the surprise lacking in the story's text.

ReelViews by James Berardinelli

The performances are solid but I walked out of the theater thinking I might have been equally edified and entertained reading the man's Wikipedia entry.

Miami Herald by Connie Ogle

That rare biopic that’s shorter and swifter than it should be. This turns out to be both a blessing and a curse.

The New York Times by A.O. Scott

What the film struggles to depict, committed as it is to the conventions of hagiography, is the long and complex work of organizing people to defend their own interests. You are invited to admire what Cesar Chavez did, but it may be more vital to understand how he did it.

The A.V. Club by A.A. Dowd

What Cesar Chavez critically lacks is a unique, complicated, or personal perspective on its world-famous subject. As is often the problem with portraits of influential firebrands, the film never quite sees past the movement to the man leading it.

New York Post by Kyle Smith

It’s too busy with feel-good slogans like “Si Se Puede.” The slogan may be nice, but it’s meaningless. So is the movie.

Austin Chronicle by Marjorie Baumgarten

Cesar Chavez, though respectful and illuminating, never rises to the inspirational level of its titular subject.

The Playlist by Jessica Kiang

It’s a competent, unobjectionable history lesson but Cesar Chavez’ legacy needs a more inspired and inspiring telling if it's to get the exposure this crusading figure deserves.

Variety by Peter Debruge

Neither Pena nor the pic itself delivers the necessary dynamism, strained by a modest budget and too few extras to sufficiently re-create a movement that found strength in numbers.

Village Voice by Inkoo Kang

The careless diminishment of every other character that isn't Chávez — including wife Helen, played by an utterly wasted America Ferrera in a grape-sized role — might be worth overlooking if the film provided any insights into its subject.