Tom aspires to be a filmmaker and documents the National being on tour, as well as the process of himself making a film about his successful older brother.

The website's critics consensus reads: "A suitably complicated look at fraternal bonds, Mistaken for Strangers offers more depth and insight than the usual tour documentary.

"[3] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 72 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

[4] Jillian Mapes in her review for Pitchfork Media wrote "what may be the funniest, most meta music movie since Spinal Tap".

[5] Ann Hornaday in her review for The Washington Post described it as "a funny, eccentric and finally deeply poignant depiction of art, family, self-sabotage and the prickly intricacies of brotherly love.