52
Metascore
13 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 70The New York TimesManohla DargisThe New York TimesManohla DargisHit So Hard is the touching story of how and why Ms. Schemel ended up in her own private hell and how and why she made her way out again into the world of sunshine, sobriety and puppy dogs.
- 60The Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenThe Hollywood ReporterMichael RechtshaffenEmotions run raw in this behind-the-scenes look at drummer Patty Schemel and her drug-fuelled run with the 90s grunge rock band, Hole.
- 60Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesOften the film pushes Schemel to the edge of what is intended to be her story, so in Hit So Hard she feels forced into the role of self-sacrificing side-player once again.
- Hit So Hard offers glimpses of the ragged heyday of grunge that are so compelling, it's a shame the film didn't stay with them instead of continuing along a standard story of a rock 'n' roll downfall by way of drug addiction followed by a slow recovery.
- 55NPRScott TobiasNPRScott TobiasThere's a better documentary to be carved out of Hit So Hard, but not necessarily a great one, because the gossip and drug-fueled capers offered up by Love are simply more compelling than the tremulous course of Schemel's life. Here, as then, Schemel plays backup to history.
- 50VarietyRonnie ScheibVarietyRonnie ScheibThough stylistically incoherent at times, picture benefits from the percussionist's plainspokenness.
- It's perhaps unsurprising that Love - and her late husband, Kurt Cobain - even manage to steal the show in a documentary about Schemel's life.
- 40Time OutDavid FearTime OutDavid FearSchemel is a major rock & roll survivor; Hit So Hard is a minor rockumentary at best, as well as a seriously missed opportunity.
- 40Village VoiceVillage VoiceUnfortunately for Schemel, director P. David Ebersole seems to think these pop-up video footnotes are a substitute for narrative development and, more or less, forgets to edit down the rest of the tediously paced rockumentary.
- 38Slant MagazineNick SchagerSlant MagazineNick SchagerP. David Ebersole so busy flitters from one point of interest to another that Hit So Hard never coheres into anything other than a collection of rock-star clichés.