In the age of influencers and TikTok reviews, what is a critic even for?

Every time you open Instagram or TikTok, someone is telling you what movie to watch, what show to skip, or what book to read. These social media influencers have become some of the most powerful voices in arts and culture. But as their popularity grows, a question is getting louder: Do we still need professional critics — people trained to write honest, expert reviews?

Traditional journalism is struggling to survive. Over the past year, major newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post have cut back their arts and culture sections and let go of experienced critics. That means fewer trained voices are around to review movies, plays, and books. At the same time, influencers on social media are filling that gap with quick opinions that aren't always well-informed.

However, not everyone has given up on the craft of criticism. In coastal Connecticut, a special program is working hard to train the next generation of critics. The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, named after a famous American playwright, is home to the National Critics Institute, or NCI. The center has long been known as a launching pad for American theater.

NCI is led by respected theater critics Chris Jones and Naveen Kumar. It runs for about two weeks and works like a boot camp for arts writers. Fellows attend nightly events like dance performances, staged readings, and film screenings, then must write a full review in about ten hours.

Each morning, Jones and Kumar hold feedback sessions where they go over everyone's writing from the night before. Their main message to all the fellows is simple but powerful: Be in service of the art. That doesn't mean praising everything you see — it means being honest, thoughtful, and fair to the work and the people who created it.

Many people think critics are just mean because they sometimes write negative reviews. But the best critics don't tear things apart just to be harsh — they explain what didn't work and why, and they offer ideas for improvement. A good review asks questions like: Why did the story feel unfinished? Why did the ending not match the rest of the film?

During the NCI program, actor Caroline Aaron shared an important idea with the group. She explained that the word 'criticism' comes from a Greek word meaning 'able to discern,' which means being able to judge and understand something carefully. Real criticism isn't just about pointing out flaws — it's about understanding what a piece of art is trying to do and whether it succeeds.

Critics bring a special set of skills that most influencers don't have. They spend years learning about a particular art form, whether it's theater, film, music, or books. Some critics have even worked inside the industries they now write about, giving them extra insight into how the art is made.

That deep knowledge sets critics apart from social media personalities. Unlike influencers, critics don't have a personal brand to protect, so they don't feel pressure to say everything is great just to stay popular. As one NCI guest lecturer put it clearly: 'Being a cheerleader as a critic is a kiss of death.'

NCI gives young critics a safe space to practice and grow. Fellows spend hours crafting thoughtful reviews that don't just describe what they saw, but explain why it mattered and how it made the audience feel. They are encouraged to take bold stances and learn from their mistakes without fear.

On the final day of the program, Aaron urged the new critics not to let their craft disappear. It was a message that stuck with everyone in the room. So the next time you're deciding whether to see a Broadway show or start a new movie, consider checking in with a real critic — they're offering something more valuable than a quick hot take.