The Nature of Existence

If its summary approach is less than penetrating, its underlying message of tolerance and open-mindedness is commendable.

His film is no more profound than its forerunners, but it’s quicker, funnier and less pretentious.

More so than his other documentaries, Nygard remains in the spotlight from start to finish as he traveled across the globe to seek answers from various religious leaders. It's one thing to fail as a doc showman but by the film's end you feel like you have no answers to any of his questions.

There's something a tad disingenuous about the director's quest for meaning, as if the whole arc of the project has been contrived to adhere to a scripted template rather than to document a genuine search.

Nygard’s mildly insipid, occasionally condescending tone makes you long for the bombast of early Michael Moore.

Certainly there are filmgoers who enjoy this kind of noncommittal metaphysical quest. I am not one of them. It makes me think that the filmmaker is more interested in showing us his vacation slides instead of sharing any real insights.