ronnie scheib of "variety", said in his review that "a unique blend of camp and conviction, "to be takei" deftly showcases george takei's eclectic personality and wildly disparate achievements, from "star trek" crewmate to gay-rights activist." david rooney in his review for "the hollywood reporter" praised the film by saying that "in its most compelling arc, the film traces american-born takei's childhood memories of being transported with his parents and sister after pearl harbor, along with countless other japanese-american west coast citizens, to an internment camp in arkansas fringed by barbed wire and sentry towers." however, they were critical of its narrative structure, saying "kroot's inability to sculpt a robust narrative stops the film from soaring, instead jumbling its various threads into a multifaceted portrait that starts strongly but loses focus precisely when it needs to come together."