--- title: "When They See Us: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/when-they-see-us/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/when-they-see-us" critics_score: 85 critics_reviews: 11 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # When They See Us (2019): what the critics said Critics' score 85 from 11 reviews: 10 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews lean firmly positive, and most critics agree on why. Ava DuVernay is praised for turning the Central Park Five back into five separate people, following each boy through the coerced confessions and into the years that followed rather than retelling the facts of the case. The young cast draws near-uniform praise, with Jharrel Jerome singled out repeatedly, above all for the fourth episode. Bradford Young’s cinematography is named more than once. Almost every critic warns that it is hard to watch, and most treat that as a strength. The spread is narrow: ten positive, one mixed, none negative. The reservations that do appear concern tone and weight. IndieWire finds the series caught between an intimate account of the men and a broader attack on the system, and says it wears the viewer down. Vulture notes an occasional lean into cliché, and The AV Club, though admiring, says the experience tastes like medicine. ## The AV Club — Joshua Alston Rating A-. 31 May 2019. DuVernay maintains a disciplined focus on the men and how their lives suffered irreparable damage from incarceration after coerced confessions; the series is urgent, unflinching, and political but a gutting experience that tastes like medicine. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/ava-duvernays-bruising-central-park-five-series-is-an-e-1835135851) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 May 2019. Ava DuVernay delivers an urgent, astonishing dramatisation of the Central Park Five case that refuses to label prejudice explicitly but embeds it in every assumption by the white authorities. The uniformly astonishing performances, especially by the young actors portraying the five boys, capture both their lost innocence and its lasting impact. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/31/when-they-see-us-review-netflix-ava-duvernay-central-park-five) ## Variety — Daniel D'Addario Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 2019. The critic calls the series an achievement for its merciful approach to the story rather than vengeance, immersing viewers in the men's humanity and the failures of the justice system. It singles out the glimpses of family reconnections, such as Korey’s relationship with his mother, for praise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/tv/reviews/ava-duvernay-when-they-see-us-1203220510/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 2019. The critic finds the miniseries searing and compelling overall, praising its rigorous chronicle of the legal failure and DuVernay’s choice to restore the men’s individual identities. It singles out the superb cinematography of Bradford Young and the note-perfect ensemble cast for praise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/they-see-us-review-1211524/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2019. The miniseries strips away the dehumanizing tendency to bunch the boys together and shows what each dealt with individually; DuVernay's intimate approach and strong performances make it feel personal, though it occasionally leans into drama and clichés. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2019/05/when-they-see-us-netflix-review.html) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 21 May 2019. The series is wrenching and blunt in its portrayal of the Central Park Five case and DuVernay's targeting of systemic issues including Trump, but it is torn between intimacy and symbolism, ultimately wearing on the viewer. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/netflix-when-they-see-us-central-park-5-series-1202143178/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating ★★★★★. 31 May 2019. The critic praises DuVernay's powerful miniseries for focusing on the emotional toll on the five men and their families rather than just the facts of the case, highlighting systemic racism and demanding empathy from viewers. Special praise goes to the cast performances, particularly Jharrel Jerome, and Bradford Young's cinematography. [Read the review](https://collider.com/when-they-see-us-review-netflix/) ## Den of Geek — Tony Sokol Rating 5/5. 30 May 2019. DuVernay does an amazing job with the emotionally jarring story of wrongful imprisonment; the natural acting, subtle realism, and master stroke of directorial choices make it blunt yet subtle, a never-coming-of-age story filled with tension. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/when-they-see-us-review/) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 31 May 2019. The critic describes the series as a scathing indictment of American injustice and a harrowing account of an unforgivable failure of justice and morality. It singles out DuVernay's artistry, consideration in handling the story's humanity and intersectionality, and the uniformly great performances for praise. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2019/05/tv-review-when-they-see-us/) ## Paste — Amy Amatangelo Rating 9.5. 30 May 2019. The critic calls the series masterful and exceedingly difficult to watch, leaving viewers devastated yet in awe of the men's resilience. It singles out the casting of relatively unknown young actors to portray the boys and Jharrel Jerome's tour-de-force performance in the devastating fourth episode for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/article/you-cannot-look-away-from-when-they-see-us) ## The Ringer — Alison Herman Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2019. The series effectively spotlights the personal lives and post-conviction experiences of the Central Park Five rather than rehashing known facts about the case. It excels in its later episodes by showing the challenges of readjustment, prison disparities, and individual resilience, especially through Korey Wise's arc and strong casting choices. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2019/05/30/tv/when-they-see-us-central-park-five-ava-duvernay-netflix) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/when-they-see-us.md