The movie got positive reviews from critics. It has a 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Movie critic Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the movie 3.5 stars out of 4 and called it "one of the better musical biopics of the last 20 years." Roeper said that the movie was "enthralling" and "energized" and he praised the cast for delivering "strong, memorable work that transcends mere imitation."