I posted this brief essay on Instagram a few months ago. And I wanted to post it here as well.
. . .
I wanted to clarify something. I vented yesterday because the critics trashed a show I like. They got it wrong. It happens.
However, I am not one of those people who just bellyache about critics. No, I do not think for a minute that critics ultimately matter. They do not influence their respective art forms. Rock critics, for example, have zero influence on rock-n-roll. Z-E-R-O. They do not impact the music. People who make rock records are influenced by the Beatles, the Velvet Underground, and Bowie and T. Rex. Artists could not care less about what some nerdy rock journalist has to say—about anything. Artists are influenced by artists. Period.
That said, a talented art critic can help YOU experience the art better. They can help you become, for example, a better watcher of films. You might be thinking, “How hard is it to watch a film?” Well, read good critics and you’ll find out. You might be watching films badly. You might have dubious taste. "But, that's what I like! It's my opinion!" (Yes, but what you like might be bad, just because you like something does not mean it’s good—and people need to start using the word "opinion" less.) A good critic can help.
Chicago’s very own and late Roger Ebert was just such a critic. He possessed a breathtaking knowledge of film history, was a very sophisticated art critic, and helped me to become a better watcher of movies. Sometimes I did not agree with Ebert. But, I didn’t care. His off reviews were still damn good and I read them quite closely. He was also one of my favorite writers. He wrote clearly and he always picked the smaller word. (Personal bit of advice: If you’re trying to convince people how smart you are, they’ve already decided.)
But, I want to emphasize, it’s a not about agreement. I’ve had people write not flattering reviews of my books. Fine. But if the review itself is bad—that is, poorly endeavored—then I take issue. And that is the issue. Is the review good? Is the quality of the analysis good? Ebert’s were almost always so. He was a great critic. He did his readers a service. And a good critic does just that.
