The life and work of legendary film critic Pauline Kael is explored in What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael, a perfect introduction to those new to Kael’s style of film criticism, and a reminder to those initiated about the woman behind the reviews.

It is always the hope of a film critic that their work will not only make an impact, but a meaningful one. The impact created by Pauline Kael is tantamount to the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. It birthed the dawn of a new era in film criticism: fearless, brash, in-depth, personal, passionate. Pauline Kael became an almost cult-like figure. Fellow critics were drawn to her, filmmakers feared her, movie stars wrote her letters of fawning praise, and her readers eagerly anticipated her next review.

In What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael, director Rob Garver presents the life of Pauline Kael, both the film critic and the person, with informative insight. Interviews both new and archived with peers and filmmakers present the story of a fearless and influential film critic. Meanwhile, home videos and new interviews with Kael’s daughter Gina James, presents the picture of a working mother.

Of the two, the latter is the more interesting, giving full scope of a woman feted, feared, and fearless. Behind the critic was a woman who overcame many obstacles to become a success story in a field where not many of those are found. As a single mother during a time where such a thing was frowned upon, Kael never let the threat of poverty, or imposed social restrictions, stop her from chasing that dream of writing as a profession. Many would and have surrendered to the challenges towards such a career path. That Kael stuck it out said much about her spirit: unbreakable, tenacious, and determined. It is very much the American dream, to know what you love, and then do it as a job.

That spirit can also be found in her writing, which is set a new wave for the craft of film criticism. Much in the way of groupthink exists in film critic circles. The celebrated critics, like Kael, set their own path. Not many would have the courage of their conviction to pan the likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Lawrence of Arabia, but (right or wrong) Kael did just that. During these days of critical mass towards anything and everything, the legacy of Kael as not only a person of original voice but of original thought, is to be cherished.