No Impact Man

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

At once noble and naive, earnest and a tad obnoxious.

Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

It all seems like a stunt, especially since Beaven has also written a just-published book about his experiences, but he and Conlin are an engaging pair who don't let zealotry get in the way of humor.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

The value of No Impact Man, a compelling and suitably exasperating documentary about one family’s attempt to not harm the environment for a year, is that it forces viewers to reflect on their own casual consumption and waste.

Portland Oregonian Marc Mohan

Ultimately, it's an instructive and entertaining examination of both the overlooked environmental costs of everyday life and the possibilities for change.

Salon.com Andrew O'Hehir

The movie is a hilarious, riveting must-see about a family as it breaks down almost all the way and then reinvents itself.

Film Threat Scott Knopf

To sum up Beavan’s message, he’s not saying you should give up toilet paper. But you should give up what you can. Help any way you can. Do all you can.

San Francisco Chronicle David Lewis

It may not be the greatest of cinematic exercises, and it often feels contrived, but this documentary somehow is enlightening, ridiculous, foreboding and funny at the same time.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Joe Williams

Succeeds as both advocacy and entertainment by focusing on the family.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

It’s like Sinatra said: If you can make (do without) it there, you can make (do without) it anywhere. The movie leaves it up to you.

Washington Post John Anderson

You know what they say: Behind every successful, self-flagellating environmental activist is a woman. And that's what saves both Beavan and the movie.

The Hollywood Reporter Justin Lowe

Gabbert and Schein keep the focus on their subjects, interpreting their struggles through the ups and downs in the couple's relationship as they grapple with increasingly difficult issues. This character-driven approach draws viewers into the couple's struggle and prompts consideration of similar lifestyle changes.

Variety John Anderson

Goes down far easier than, say, an all-natural, fiber-enriched peanut butter sandwich without a glass of soy milk. It's that rare doc (these days) that could go theatrical, largely because it's a film about a couple, more than a movement.

NPR Mark Jenkins

It's even harder being the semi-supportive wife, which is what generates most of the electricity in this slight but entertaining documentary.

New York Magazine David Edelstein

The movie gives off a stranger vibe. Beavan is both a hero and a figure of fun, a man whose ideals are in constant collision with the habits of modern life.

Los Angeles Times Betsy Sharkey

The film ultimately is more practical than profound, a slightly smartened-up "Dummy's Guide to Green Living," which, as you learn, most of us probably know a good deal less about than we imagine.

Austin Chronicle Marjorie Baumgarten

What makes this documentary work is that the Beavan family is so relatable.

New York Post Kyle Smith

The film makes little sense (the couple refuses to ride subways, but Metro-North is OK), but it's a diverting conversation piece/freak show.

The New York Times A.O. Scott

I can’t, in the end (all appearances to the contrary), judge Mr. Beavan or this film too severely. Making an impact is easy. Making a difference is hard.

Village Voice Aaron Hillis

We could all do better, definitely, but how much can we possibly glean from a guy whose idealism can be measured with a calendar?

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

The efforts of Beavan's clan are so extreme that they spark some interest, but their environmental commitment feels a bit too self-serving to have the impact that's clearly desired.

Time Out New York Nicolas Rapold

Eventually runs out of gas--or rather, pedal-power--as the filmmakers grope for how to cap the Beavans’ story.

Chicago Reader Cliff Doerksen

The boring, humorless pair do nothing to refute the image of eco-worriers as preening, puritanical douchebags addicted to symbolic gesture and allergic to cost-benefit analysis.