Searching for Sugar Man

PG-13

Released Jul 27, 2012

1h 26m

Documentary

List

95%

134 Reviews

Tomatometer

92%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Though he faded into obscurity in the U.S., an early '70s musician known as Rodriguez became a huge hit in South Africa and was widely rumored to have died. Two obsessed fans set out to learn the man's true fate.

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Critics Consensus

A fascinating portrait of a forgotten musical pioneer, Searching for Sugar Man is by turns informative and mysterious.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

The best, most touching, most humbling documentary I've ever seen about a musician I've never heard of.

Sep 1, 2018

Full Review

AV Club

Rated: A-

Jan 22, 2013

Full Review

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Rated: 4/5

Jan 22, 2013

Full Review

Michael Leader

Den of Geek

There is also plenty to unpack in the film's various narrative threads, from the fascinating investigative trail that the searchers follow, chasing down record label owners, producers, and Detroit barflies, to the story's exotically pre-digital flavour...

Rated: 3/5

May 3, 2024

Full Review

Rebecca Schiller

NME (New Musical Express)

The driving force of Searching For Sugar Man is the fans, and their journey from the discovery of their favourite singer to the sell-out South African shows he plays 30 years after...

Rated: 4/5

May 4, 2021

Full Review

David Bax

Battleship Pretension

If you go see Searching for Sugar Man - and I suggest you do - try not to know too much about him beforehand.

Mar 10, 2021

Full Review

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Shael

Too much searching and too little Sugarman.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/26/23

Full Review

Brian K

Fairly interesting, if somewhat uneven (like the artist's journey), biopic by Sixto's youngest daughter, Regan Rodriquez. Sadly Sixto Rodriguez passed away in August of 2023, due to the after-effects of a stroke suffered in Feb. 2023 -- likely aided by the poor public health care system in that part of Detroit, MI.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/24/23

Full Review

Terry A

Don't read anything about it. Just watch it. You are going to love it.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/21/23

Full Review

Paul M

Rip Sugar Man. Still my favorite documentary of all time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/13/23

Full Review

Joseph L

Easily one of the best documentaries I have ever watched. Watching the mystery unravel was intriguing and ultimately inspiring.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/15/23

Full Review

Lottie M

This documentary constructed a story by misleading the audience and making Rodriguez into someone he was not. It left out important details about his career, such as the fact that he was famous in Australia and New Zealand and toured there in the late 1970s, before he even went to South Africa. While this movie is somewhat entertaining, it is misleading and only tells Rodriguez's story from a very specific viewpoint. It is filled with half truths, and is factually ambiguous.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/03/23

Full Review

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Malik Bendjelloul

Director

Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman

Actor

Dennis Coffey

Actor

Mike Theodore

Actor

Dan DiMaggio

Actor

Jerome Ferretti

Actor

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Synopsis

Though he faded into obscurity in the U.S., an early '70s musician known as Rodriguez became a huge hit in South Africa and was widely rumored to have died. Two obsessed fans set out to learn the man's true fate.

Director: Malik Bendjelloul
Producer: John Battsek
Screenwriter: Malik Bendjelloul
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: Passion Pictures, Red Box Films
Rating: PG-13 (Some Drug References|Brief Strong Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $3.7M
Runtime: 1h 26m

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