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Robert Christgau and Carola Dibbell Talk New Documentary ‘The Last Critic’ and Staying Crazy in Love
*The Last Critic* is a documentary about Robert Christgau, the influential American music critic who has continued writing for more than six decades and is now 83. The film also centres on his marriage to novelist Carola Dibbell, presenting their long shared life and enduring affection as part of the story.
Directed by Matty Wishnow, the film has won awards at the South by Southwest and Oak Cliff film festivals, as well as the 2026 Screen Dallas grand prize, and is having its New York premiere. It features musicians and writers connected to Christgau, including Thurston Moore, Colson Whitehead and Greil Marcus; songwriter Randy Newman also recalls writing “Lost Without You” about the couple’s closeness. Christgau began his Consumer Guide column in the Village Voice in 1969 and now publishes it on Substack.
In short
- A new documentary profiles critic Robert Christgau.
- The film also explores his 50-year marriage to Carola Dibbell.
- Christgau’s reviewing career has lasted more than six decades.
Explained simply
Robert Christgau is an American music critic whose short, letter-graded reviews became known as the Consumer Guide. He started the column at the Village Voice in 1969 and continues to publish it online.
The documentary also follows Christgau’s life with his wife, novelist Carola Dibbell, alongside reflections from musicians and writers who know his work. Their story connects a long career in music criticism with the couple’s shared life and relationship.