64
Metascore
7 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 83IndieWireKate ErblandIndieWireKate ErblandA rousing documentary that’s equal parts inspiring, entertaining, and educational.
- 75Chicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperChicago Sun-TimesRichard RoeperSpelling the Dream is a fresh take on the competition, focusing largely on the phenomenon of Indian-American dominance over the last quarter-century.
- 70The Hollywood ReporterInkoo KangThe Hollywood ReporterInkoo KangAnd in these troubled, terrifying times, as many of us are stuck at home simultaneously glued to, and existentially exhausted by, the news, Spelling the Dream is the kind of lighthearted but smart escapism you don't have to feel guilty about.
- 63RogerEbert.comNick AllenRogerEbert.comNick AllenWhoever advances to each respective next round, you want to root for these kids, and cherish the way they advocate for intellect at such a young age.
- 60The GuardianBenjamin LeeThe GuardianBenjamin LeeWhile it doesn’t have the same tense grip of Spellbound, it’s an amiable enough diversion.
- 60Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonWall Street JournalJohn AndersonThere is often a pulsating musical score buoying the action, such as it is; family snapshots appear, the histories of the individual kids are told, their approaches to competitive spelling are explained, and there are interviews with mothers and fathers who, someone warns, should not be stereotyped as “tiger parents.”
- Spelling the Dream is a film about winning, delivered with glossy visuals and a gratingly optimistic score that draws to a close with its champion showered in confetti — an obvious symbol for this overarching (and under-questioned) celebration of American multiculturalism.