Originally published September 29, 2022; updated September 2026.
You do not need a specific degree or credential to begin reviewing movies. Becoming a strong film critic, however, takes more than watching a lot of films: you need to learn film history and craft, develop clear arguments, practice writing, publish strong work and build relationships with editors, festivals and the wider film community.
There is no single career path. Some critics write for newspapers, magazines and websites; others work in podcasts, radio, video or newsletters. Many combine several formats. The practical goal is the same: learn to analyze films thoughtfully, support your judgments with evidence and build a body of work that shows editors and audiences what you can do.
Movie Critic Career Path at a Glance
- Watch broadly and study film history.
- Read strong film criticism from different eras and perspectives.
- Learn how filmmaking choices create meaning and affect an audience.
- Practice writing reviews, essays and other film coverage.
- Publish a portfolio of your strongest work.
- Cover local screenings, repertory cinema and film festivals.
- Pitch specific ideas to publications and editors.
- Keep developing your critical voice, professional relationships and knowledge.
Movie Reviewer vs. Film Critic: What’s the Difference?
The terms overlap, but a movie reviewer often focuses on a current release and helps readers understand whether it succeeds and why. Film criticism can go further into interpretation, history, aesthetics, genre, politics or a filmmaker’s body of work. Entertainment journalists may also report news and conduct interviews, while film scholars generally work in a more academic tradition. A working critic may move among several of these roles.
Do You Need a Degree to Become a Film Critic?
No particular degree is a universal prerequisite for film criticism. Coursework in journalism, English, communications, history or film studies can strengthen research, writing and film literacy, but editors ultimately need evidence that you can produce thoughtful, accurate work. A strong portfolio and demonstrated knowledge can matter more than a particular major.
What Skills Does a Movie Critic Need?
- Clear writing and editing: express an argument precisely and revise your own work.
- Film literacy: understand genres, movements, filmmakers and cinema history.
- Observation: notice choices in performance, image, sound, structure and tone.
- Analysis: explain how those choices create an effect rather than simply stating whether you liked them.
- Research: verify names, credits, historical context and factual claims.
- Deadline discipline: professional criticism is often produced quickly.
- Professional communication: pitch editors, work with publicists and, when relevant, conduct interviews.
Start Publishing Your Film Criticism
A writer improves by writing consistently, but that does not mean you must publish something every day. A personal website, newsletter, podcast, video channel or other independent platform can give you a low-risk place to practice and “grow up in public.” You can experiment with different forms of criticism while learning which subjects and approaches produce your strongest work.
Early on, concentrate on quality rather than volume. Five to 10 polished reviews, essays or festival pieces make a more useful starter portfolio than dozens of rushed posts. Those pieces become your clips—published examples you can send to editors when pitching assignments.
It also helps to write more than conventional reviews. Try a director retrospective, an interview, a festival dispatch, a genre essay or a piece connecting a new release with an older film. Reviews evaluate individual movies; features and essays can demonstrate research, reporting and a broader command of film culture.
Pitch Reviews and Contribute to Other Publications
Once you have several strong clips, begin approaching publications that actually cover the kind of film work you want to do. Read the outlet before pitching. A useful pitch is concise: introduce yourself, propose a specific story or coverage angle, explain why it fits that publication and link to a few relevant clips.
Contributing elsewhere can mean reviews, festival coverage, columns, interviews, podcasts or video appearances. The goal is not simply exposure; it is to demonstrate that you can work with an editor, meet deadlines and produce reliable work for an audience other than your own.
Use Film Festivals and Local Cinema to Learn
Film festivals, cinematheques and repertory theatres are valuable because they expose you to films outside the mainstream release cycle. They also help you understand the community around cinema: programmers, filmmakers, distributors, other critics and audiences.
In Chicago, the Chicago Underground Film Festival is a useful place to encounter independent and experimental work. The Chicago International Film Festival brings international and U.S. films to the city and offers industry programming and press accreditation. Cinema/Chicago also presents year-round programming beyond the annual festival.
Regular programming at the Gene Siskel Film Center and Music Box Theatre can also broaden a critic’s viewing beyond current studio releases. The point is not merely to attend events—it is to see enough different kinds of cinema that a new movie can be understood in context.
Learn How to Analyze a Film
Watching a lot of movies is essential, but viewing alone is not the same as criticism. A critic needs to understand how a movie relates to its genre, period and filmmaking traditions while paying attention to the choices made inside the film itself.
Depending on the movie, that can mean examining screenplay, direction, performances, cinematography, editing, production design, sound, score, pacing, structure and thematic ideas. You do not need to discuss every element in every review. Focus on the choices that matter most to your argument.
Questions to Ask When Reviewing a Movie
- What is the film trying to accomplish?
- How effectively does it accomplish that goal?
- Which filmmaking choices create that effect?
- What are its most important strengths or weaknesses?
- How does it relate to similar films, its genre or the filmmaker’s previous work?
- What specific evidence supports my judgment?
That last question is crucial. “I loved it” or “I hated it” may describe your reaction, but criticism explains the reaction. Point to a performance choice, visual pattern, editing decision, scene construction or other evidence that allows the reader to understand your reasoning.
How to Write a Movie Review
A review does not need a rigid formula, but a useful structure is an opening that establishes your central judgment, enough plot and production context for the reader to follow your argument, analysis supported by specific examples and a conclusion that brings the assessment together.
Avoid spending most of the review retelling the plot. Give readers what they need to understand the analysis. If discussing major twists or the ending is necessary, clearly signal spoilers before revealing information that a reasonable reader would expect to discover while watching the film.
Take notes during a screening when permitted, or write them immediately afterward. Record specific images, lines, performances, structural choices and questions while they are fresh. Those observations are far more useful when drafting than a vague memory that a scene was “good” or “bad.”
Read Great Film Criticism
Reading criticism is part of learning the craft. Explore writers with very different approaches, including André Bazin, Pauline Kael, Andrew Sarris, Roger Ebert, Jonathan Rosenbaum and bell hooks, then continue into contemporary critics and publications. The goal is not to imitate one voice but to see how different critics build arguments, describe images, use history and connect movies with culture.
Exercises for Becoming a Better Film Critic
- Choose a genre and watch examples from different decades, including early and recent films. Compare what changed and what remained recognizable.
- Choose a director and watch films from different points in their career. Look for recurring ideas, visual choices and changes in technique.
- Start a cinema club. Discussing the same film with other viewers demonstrates how differently audiences interpret identical material.
- Try making a short film if that interests you. It is not required, but hands-on experience can deepen your appreciation of the decisions involved in filmmaking.
- Attend a film festival and write several different kinds of pieces: a review, a festival overview and perhaps an interview or trend story.
Develop Your Point of View
Special interests can help distinguish a critic. You might become particularly knowledgeable about horror, documentaries, animation, international cinema, silent film or a particular filmmaking movement. Expertise gives your criticism context and can help editors understand what you bring to a publication.
But having a point of view does not require extreme reactions. Curiosity is more useful than deciding in advance that an entire genre is good or bad. Try to understand what a film is attempting, then evaluate how effectively its choices serve that goal. Strong opinions are most persuasive when they grow from evidence.
How Do Film Critics Get Paid?
Paid film criticism can come through staff journalism jobs, freelance assignments, recurring columns, broadcast or audio work, video criticism and independent audience-supported publishing. Many working critics combine film coverage with other journalism or editing. Starting an independent publication can build a portfolio and audience, but it does not guarantee a full-time income.
Press Screenings and Accreditation
Press access usually follows demonstrated editorial work rather than preceding it. Festivals, studios and publicists may ask where your work is published, how frequently you cover film and who your audience is. Build credible clips first instead of making free screenings the goal.
The Chicago International Film Festival, for example, provides press accreditation as part of its festival operation. Requirements vary by event and can change, so always review the current organizer’s rules before applying.
Professional Ethics for Film Critics
- Disclose meaningful conflicts of interest.
- Do not accept compensation in exchange for favorable editorial coverage.
- Clearly distinguish independent criticism from sponsored or promotional material.
- Verify factual claims, names and credits.
- Correct substantive errors when you discover them.
- Respect screening embargoes and other legitimate conditions you have agreed to.
Practical Tips for New Film Critics
- Your first reviews will not be your best. Treat early work as practice and keep revising your approach.
- Read as seriously as you watch. Books and criticism can supply historical and technical context that viewing alone cannot.
- Build depth in subjects that genuinely interest you, then keep stretching beyond your comfort zone.
- Write for an audience. Clarity matters more than demonstrating how much film terminology you know.
- Film festivals can provide concentrated practice because publications often need timely reviews, interviews and roundups.
The author’s own first professional newsstand article appeared in Indie Slate Magazine and covered the San Antonio Underground Film Festival. That experience illustrates a practical route into professional criticism: learn a subject, attend events, produce publishable work and use each assignment to build toward the next one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you become a movie critic without experience?
Everyone begins without professional experience. Start by learning film history and criticism, writing regularly and publishing a small portfolio of strong work. Those clips can then support pitches for your first outside assignments.
Do you need a film degree to be a movie critic?
No. Film studies, journalism or related education can be useful, but there is no universal degree requirement. Knowledge, writing ability, accuracy and a strong portfolio are more direct evidence of whether you can do the work.
How do you get your first film-criticism assignment?
Build several polished clips, identify a publication that covers your subject and pitch a specific idea that fits its audience. Local films, festivals, repertory programs and under-covered releases can provide useful starting points.
Can movie critics make money?
Yes, but income varies widely. Critics may earn money through staff positions, freelance assignments, recurring columns, broadcast work or independent publishing. Many combine criticism with other journalism, editing or media work.
Build the Work Before Chasing the Title
The most practical way to become a movie critic is to start doing the work: watch broadly, read serious criticism, learn how films are constructed, write consistently and revise carefully. Build five to 10 strong clips, participate in your local film culture and begin pitching publications that fit your interests. A critical voice develops through sustained practice, curiosity and evidence—not through a single credential or one perfect first review.