Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The best reviewed film (so far) of the year, with nonstop buzz surrounding it. But was it worth the hype? Indeed, it was.

This film is unique in its own way. The subject matter isn’t necessarily fascinating per se, yet I found myself intrigued for most of its three hour runtime. That all comes down to the execution and filmmaking.

Hands down, one of the highest quality documentaries I’ve ever seen. The editing is as close to perfection as you can get. The cinematography and sound design are on par with some Oscar winning films. Just simply incredible.

As much as I believe the overwhelmingly positive reception is deserved, I don’t think it’s the “best thing ever,” as some are labeling it. Whenever Nathan isn’t on screen, the film loses some steam. You could’ve easily trimmed 15–20 minutes, in my opinion. The runtime definitely drags in certain stretches, but around the two hour mark, when Amanda Seyfried enters the picture and we begin seeing the reenactments, the film completely switches gears and never looks back. From that point forward, it maintains its momentum all the way through the credits.