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Songcatcher

Play trailer Poster for Songcatcher PG-13 2001 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
74% Tomatometer 88 Reviews 77% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A film about a woman whose drive to pursue the things she believes in leads her on an unexpected path to self-discovery. It is 1907, and musicologist Doctor Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) has just been denied a promotion in the male-dominated world of her university. Frustrated and determined to get academic recognition, she heads to Appalachia with a recording device and writing materials.
Songcatcher

What to Know

Critics Consensus

The story may be a bit too melodramatic, but great performances abound in Songcatcher. The real reason to see the movie, however, is the hypnotic music.

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Critics Reviews

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Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader 04/24/2012
Like the main character, it's stodgy and didactic -- and full of grace and surprises. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey Variety 03/27/2009
Songcatcher unfolds at a leisurely but enjoyable pace, its dramatic contrivances never pushed too hard by director Maggie Greenwald. Go to Full Review Kimberley Jones Austin Chronicle 03/10/2003
0.5/5
Buy the soundtrack. Skip the film. Go to Full Review Dan DiNicola The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY) 04/30/2024
B+
The music is heavenly, as are the performances of Miss McTeer and Aidan Quinn. Go to Full Review Ronni Radner Out Magazine 05/27/2022
With an infectious soundtrack featuring Emmylou Harris, Songcatcher is an artfully inspirational tale of women's independence during times of turbulent change. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 01/24/2013
B
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Audience Reviews

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steve d @RT35616104 12/25/2022 There is not a lot to it and what there is isn't especially interesting. See more 09/15/2015 Janet McTeer is great and some of the music is nice but overall it is a bit of a bore. Great costumes though See more 04/02/2014 Not suitable for families. One subplot constitutes an effort to sell Lesbianism to the audience, portraying those who don't accept it as apt to be homicidal, barn-burning, hell-fire-shouting bigots. Hard to escape this agenda these days. See more 01/18/2014 Songcatcher shows the Smokies almost as beautiful as they are in real life. The music shines with perhaps too much polish but is well done and enjoyable. Otherwise, this movie was the most sexist tripe I've seen. See more 08/17/2013 Worth it for the music alone... See more 07/15/2013 The performances in the movie are top drawer. The lesbian scene is over done seemingly for shock value. It defuses the excitement of discovering the roots of our American folk music. See more Read all reviews
Songcatcher

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Maggie Greenwald

Director

Janet McTeer

Lily Penleric

Aidan Quinn

Tom Bledsoe

Pat Carroll

Viney Butler

Jane Adams

Elna Penleric

Gregory Russell Cook

Fate Honeycutt

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Songcatcher

Songcatcher (2001) Tom Bledsoe and Lily Penleric (AIDAN QUINN and JANET MCTEER). Deladis Slocumb and Lily Penleric (EMMY ROSSUM and JANET MCTEER). View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A film about a woman whose drive to pursue the things she believes in leads her on an unexpected path to self-discovery. It is 1907, and musicologist Doctor Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer) has just been denied a promotion in the male-dominated world of her university. Frustrated and determined to get academic recognition, she heads to Appalachia with a recording device and writing materials.
Director
Maggie Greenwald
Producer
Dick Miller, Ellen Rigas-Venetis
Screenwriter
Maggie Greenwald
Distributor
Lionsgate Films, Songcather Films LLC
Production Co
ErgoArts, Independent Film Project, Rigas Entertainment
Rating
PG-13 (Sexual Content|Intense Scene of Childbirth)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 15, 2001, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 6, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.1M
Runtime
1h 52m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo