The Closer We Get | Reviews | Before it's too late, a family that never really talked, starts to.

Time Out London Jun 30, 2016

"Remarkable"

The Guardian Jun 30, 2016

"Epic"

Kate Muir - The Times Nov 6, 2015

"a cathartic exploration of love and loss"

Nigel Andrews - Financial Times Nov 6, 2015

"It’s unemphatic, this diary of a calamity that extends its complex comet tail through the years. That’s why it’s so good."

Mark Kermode - The Observer Nov 8, 2015

"There’s a hint of the poetry of Mark Cousins in artist/film-maker Karen Guthrie’s almost whispered narration for this poignant examination of the bonds of family love..."

Mike McCahill - The Guardian Nov 5, 2015

"an epic chamber play"

David Opie - Flickering Myth Nov 5, 2015

"Documentaries hold a mirror to our own lives, whether they tackle large scale issues like Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11 or personal stories such as Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man. In The Closer We Get, artist Karen Guthrie has crafted an extremely intimate portrayal of her family that delves deep into her own personal issues while exploring a huge range of universal themes, including deception, family relations, unconditional love and the nature of documentary filmmaking itself."

Matthew Anderson - Cine Vue Nov 5, 2015

"a poignant, unerring and simultaneously heart-warming and heartbreaking portrait of dealing with the demons of an unspoken past"

Kate Longman - The Metropolist Nov 5, 2015

"...remarkable and inspiring..."

Ellie Jones - Film & TV Now Nov 4, 2015

"A humbling and emotional journey of a family on film."

David Watson - Movie Ramblings Nov 4, 2015

"a quietly shattering, ultimately hopeful portrait of redemptive love."

Mike McCahill - Movie Mail Nov 4, 2015

"a piercing study"

Cath Clark Nov 3, 2015

"A remarkable portrait....It’ll make you want to phone your parents."

Victoria Bull - The Hollywood News Nov 3, 2015

"...demanding, captivating...".

Rob Aldam - Backseat Mafia Nov 3, 2015

"a brilliantly made documentary"

Sam Love - Film Juice Nov 3, 2015

"Karen Guthrie has crafted a beautiful piece of work that will make you laugh, cry and ultimately realise what is truly important – living."

Owen Van Spall - Smokescreen London Jun 22, 2015

"this engaging, powerful film, which serves as a sombre reminder of how pain can echo through generations."

Alistair Harkness - The Scotsman Jun 20, 2015

"a bittersweet love letter"

Amber Wilkinson - Eye For Film Jun 17, 2015

"Through the course of the film she will find herself travelling to a foreign country but the larger journey - and the one she bravely shares with the camera and us - is the internal psychological terrain she is negotiating, considering where she has come from and where she wants to go. The success of the film is that she takes us with her on both journeys that are at once intensely personal yet filled with ideas and problems that are universal"

Douglas James Greenwood - The Edinburgh Reporter Jun 17, 2015

"The camerawork and use of yellowing, archive footage make this family tale a gorgeous one to witness. Her words and captured moments so profoundly emotional you feel as though you’ve known them for years. Almost effortlessly, Karen Guthrie has painted a family portrait with such deft intimacy that its impossible to focus your vision elsewhere."

Alison Rowat - The Herald Jun 4, 2015

"A beautifully rendered and ultimately heart-breaking reminder that there is no such thing as an ordinary life.”

Michael Dickenson - Vulture Hound May 21, 2015

"It’s a heartbreaking look at what damage strokes do to not only the person afflicted but to the people around them. Similar to last year’s The Possibilities Are Endless it manages to be both inspirational and upsetting"