Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 82% based on reviews from 84 critics. The site's consensus states: "Essentially a sports movie with drums, the energetic Drumline somehow manages to make the familiar seem fresh." At Metacritic, the film has averaged a 63 out of 100 rating from critics, based on 28 reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a rare "A+" grade.
At Yahoo! Movies, the film has been given a B average based on 14 reviews from critics, and a B− by over 30,000 users. The film was given 3½ stars at Allmovie, where reviewer Josh Ralske gave positive note to the performances of the main cast and Stone's direction but still called the plot "formulaic."
Natasha Grant at BlackFilm.com called the movie "irresistible," "wonderfully crafted," and "fascinating." For the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, giving the film credit as being "entertaining" and "admirable." At the Los Angeles Times, Kenneth Turan believed the film to be entertaining, although he states that the plot is "way-familiar." Writing for The New York Times, A. O. Scott, while feeling the movie had a "skimpy, hectic plot," still believed the film to be "bouncy, boisterous and charming," and the play of the marching bands to be "downright thrilling." Mike Clark at USA Today awarded the film two and a half of four stars, feeling the film to be conventional but competent, and giving particular positive note to J. Anthony Brown, Orlando Jones, and Leonard Roberts performances. One of the film's negative reviews came courtesy of David Levine at FilmCritic.com. Giving the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, Levine called the screenplay "standard formula" and "predictable," and went on to say that it was unfunny as well as uninspiring, though he gave praise to the precision and artistry of the marching bands.
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