robert downey sr documentary
"We were all sitting around, smoking grass and playing poker down in the old West Village loft, and Robert was staring at me kind of funny Robert was always an observer of it all, even at a very young age. We had a meeting at his company and just sort of threw out the idea of doing a documentary on [Robert Downey Jr.], Smith recalled during an appearance at Deadlines Contenders Television: Documentary + Unscripted event. The Times is committed to reviewing theatrical film releases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, five-time Emmy nominee Chris Smith's documentary "**** Sr.", an affectionate tribute to maverick filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., will head to Netflix. Coming Soon. 1,100, This story has been shared 1,047 times. According to film scholar Wheeler Winston Dixon, Downey's films during the 1960s were "strictly take-no-prisoners affairs, with minimal budgets and outrageous satire, effectively pushing forward the countercultural agenda of the day. 'Sanditon' Ending Explained: Does Charlotte Marry Colbourne? A Netflix documentary about counterculture filmmaker Robert Downey Sr, directed by his much more famous actor son, Sr. charts the last three years of the life of "Bob Sr" before he dies of Parkinson's disease in 2021 at age eighty-five. Halfway through filming, Covid hits and leaves Jr. stuck in Los Angeles while Sr. is still in New York. 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Its just the way that it unfolded was really evocative, he explained, crediting Smith as our fearless director and adding, We were just trying to strike the right balance.. potentially get the credit he deserves. Coming Soon. Jr. later claims that this isnt a father and son story, and that its more about life, death and what happens in between: Were here, we do stuff and then were gone. But his claim about the former is only half right; its not just about one father-and-son story. Eventually, Jr. and his son go back east to see Sr., at which part a serious leap of faith completely turns into an incredible example of trust. Turns 58 as He Shares Video Celebrating His 'Blessings' and 'Sweet' Marriage. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. Come up to our place in the Hamptons, the younger Robert said. 1,340, This story has been shared 1,100 times. Because moviegoing carries risks during this time, we remind readers to follow health and safety guidelines as outlined by the CDC and local health officials. Thats how life is like, maybe we dont always get the answers that were looking for, but in that is the answer that were looking for.. Trailer, Lionel Richie's 3 Kids: Everything to Know, Robert Downey Jr. Is Unrecognizable as He Transforms into Balding Redhead for HBO's 'The Sympathizer', Flavor Flav Says He Was Spending Up to $2,600 a Day on Drugs for 6 Years Before Getting Sober, Priscilla Presley's Son Navarone Garcia Breaks His Silence: 'People Know 'About' Me, But They Don't 'Know' Me', Tom Arnold Recalls Staging Intervention for Chris Farley Before Overdose: 'He Did His Best'. Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his late father in this documentary chronicling the life and eclectic career of pioneering filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. What most notoriously binds Sr. and son, however, was a long and self-destructive addiction to drugs: Downey Sr.s began in the mid-70s; Jr.s far more well-documented habit landed him a prison stretch a few decades later. 4,235, This story has been shared 2,972 times. From left: Robert Downey Sr. and Robert Downey Jr. in, Stanley Tucci Credits Felicity and Emily Blunt for Helping Him Get Through Brutal Cancer Treatment, Owen Wilson on a Potential Theatrical Deal for Nancy Meyers Movie: What You Would Want and Expect, Brandi Carlile, Judd Apatow and Kevin Nealon Set to Take Stage at Rock4EB! Then, Team Downeys Emily Ford started conversations with Smith who had shown interest in doing a project about Downey Jr. They were all excited and had started conspiring and then they brought it to Robert and hes, like, No, but Ill do something on my dad,' Susan Downey recalled. Trailer", "Review: 'Sr.' As perhaps is true of most father-son relationships, some sensitive matters between the Downeys appear unresolved. He was known for writing and directing his underground film Putney Swope, a satire on the New York Madison Avenue advertising world. Documentary, Original Language: [12], National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Feature, "Robert Downey Jr. How do I deal with the fact that this larger than life character who I spent so many years influenced by, is not well? he said. There are highlights from "Pound" in 1970 (Downey Jr.'s acting debut) to "Hugo Pool" in 1997 (with Jr again, who has now become a rising, mainstream actor). The website's consensus reads: "Sr. is an illuminating look at a fascinating filmmaker -- and a poignant tribute to a father from his son. He went on to have a kind of herky-jerky helming career until exiting the film scene in 2005 with the Philadelphia-set documentary, Rittenhouse Square., But its Downey Sr. the unconventional family man, as much as the subversive filmmaker, who gets his close-up here, as father and son share time on camera (in person and via COVID-necessitated Zoom and phone calls) from 2019 until Sr.s death in mid-2021 of complications from Parkinsons disease. Susan Downey and Robert Downey Jr. (in aFalconeri sweater) speak onstage during the. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. The film explores Downey Sr.'s life and work, including his influential 1969 satirical comedy, Putney Swope. The documentary also unpacks personal themes ranging from creativity and mortality to fatherhood and generational trauma. Did you look that up or was that a headline? she asked. [9], Gary Goldstein of The Los Angeles Times wrote: "Sr. proves a tender portrait and fitting tribute to an offbeat hero and creative pioneer. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com. Stream It or Skip It: 'Spring Breakthrough' on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Proves We Need More Keesha Sharp, Stream It or Skip It: 'Hearts in the Game' on Hallmark Just Might Be the Network's Movie of the Year. 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John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. And while the younger Downey plays a big part in the film, the primary focus is on Robert Downey Sr., the underground filmmaker and actor who made satirical and offbeat films like Putney Swope and Chafed Elbows. It was an idiot move on our parts, a lot of us, to share that with out children. The Team Downey-produced film is an intimate portrait of art, fatherhood and healing generational trauma. Just confirm how you got your ticket. Robert Downey Sr., who died on July 7, 2021, at the age of 85, was an underground American filmmaker, who in the 1960s made a lot of low budget movies across New York City, which would go on to inspire various modern filmmakers. 1 for 4 weeks, Aging beloved YA author Judy Blumes inevitable foil isnt so bad after all, Review: The entertaining Peter Pan & Wendy charts a familiar course to Neverland, Rihanna has Smurfs on the brain for her next movie: Hope this gives me cool points. ), But this is mostly a buoyant and affectionate portrait, one that enjoyably showcases Downey Sr.s sweet irascibility (and undeniable charm), Jr.s offhand jauntiness and the puckish duos mutual love of film, family and irreverence. Remembers His Late Dad's Laughter in Emotional 'Sr.' [7], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 47 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. The documentary is part Sr.s project, a biographical retrospective of sorts that finds him visiting New York City locations where he shot some of his infamously wild underground films, and eyeballing the building where the Downey family lived in the 70s. Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his late father in this documentary chronicling the life and eclectic career of pioneering filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. Just a bit of referencing might have helped round out some patchy family history. Its nervy in its restless meta-qualities, with scenes frequently addressing the very conception and construction of this film. 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", In an archive interview featured in the doc, Downey Sr. says while Downey Jr. is next to him: "A lot of us did things and thought it would be hypocritical to not have our kids participate in marijuana and stuff like that. "Sr." is a 2022 American documentary film that examines the careers and relationship between Robert Downey Jr. and his father, Robert Downey Sr. [1] [2] [3] The film, directed by Chris Smith, was released theatrically on November 18, 2022, and was released on Netflix on December 2. Movie clips are fun to see and serve a purpose, but are presented without insights into Downey's unique vision and style that would have been helpful to those unfamiliar with his oeuvre. Sr. cast his then-five-year-old son Robert in a 1970 film called Pound, an allegory featuring actors playing dogs, and gave the boy his first onscreen line: Got any hair on your balls? Asked about his dad as a parent, the grown-up Jr. declares it was complicated, in that most of his attention was on the process of chasing the muse. After wiping away tears, Downey Jr. sat opposite producer-wife Susan Downey for a conversation about their Netflix documentary about his filmmaker father, Robert Downey Sr., that was moderated by The Hollywood Reporters executive editor of awards Scott Feinberg. I wasnt thinking about any of this, he admitted. He has Parkinsons, and well watch him physically deteriorate as the documentary goes on. 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Is one powerful family to blame for the deaths of five people in the wilds of South Carolinas Lowcountry? Rittenhouse Square (2005) Robert Downey Sr. And for those of us who already worship of the altar of the elder Downey, this Netflix doc it drops on the streaming service this weekend is a chance to see a true indie-movie O.G. Unfortunately, follow-up films such as 1970s humans-playing-animals comedy Pound and 1972s acid western-Christ parable, Greasers Palace, did little to burnish his reputation. Filming Locations for the Disney+ Movie, Alexander Molony Is the Perfect Blend of Charming and Naive in Disney+s Peter Pan & Wendy, What Time Will 'Peter Pan & Wendy' Be on Disney+? This whole project sadly started off for me, honestly, it was an avoidance pattern. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. Total, total insanity.". Produced by Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Chris Smith, 'Sr.' is an intimate portrait of art and life. Coming Soon: Sr., a New Documentary About Robert Downey Sr. We werent trying to make some tear-jerky thing. Sr. (now on Netflix) lets us see inside Robert Downey Jr.s home and a little bit of whats inside his heart. Remembers His Late Dad's Laughter in Emotional 'Sr.' Three years ago, Robert Downey Jr. started filming a documentary about his father alongside director Chris Smith. That was no easy feat. Then the second thing, which you all see in the movie, is that pretty quickly, it didnt matter what we wanted, this was his way to do that. 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They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Sr.s irrepressible love of moviemaking comes through in the film. All Rights Reserved. Dec 2, 2022, Runtime: I passed him a joint," he recalled at the time. Theres a lot of uncertainty and you have to make peace with that., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Dolby Digital, Best Upcoming Documentaries from the Fall Festivals. Sr. visits a duck pond in the middle of New York, and marvels at how there are so many little cavorting ducklings in such a dense, urban area. Theres a winking irreverence to these men and their work (theres a point when Jr. says of his father, I still feel like, on some level, hes fing with us) that underscores everything they do, which is where we further understand Arkins comment about benign nihilism. And theres the high-minded stuff sneaking in again, although it never undermines the tenderness of a quiet moment in which Jr. and his son Exton lean into an ailing, bedridden Sr. for a three-way hug. So father and son start talking over Zoom and phone calls, with Smith and Ford filming each side. 929, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Does 'Yellowstone' Return Tonight? Sponsors for LA3C includeFacebook,U.S. Bank,Homedics,NYX Professional Makeup,Makers Mark,Redken,ViX+,Anheuser-Busch(Golden Road Brewing,Michelob ULTRA,Bud Light Seltzer,Stella Artois,Cutwater Spirits,NTRL Vodka Seltzer),Rockstar Energy Drink, Contraluz Cristalino MezcalandArrowhead Water. His work in the late 1960s and 1970s was quintessential anti-establishment, reflecting the nonconformity popularized by larger counterculture movements and given impetus by new freedoms in films, such as the breakdown of codes on censorship. I didnt even know if this thing was going to come out so I wasnt thinking about it the way you would where youre like, well youd better make sure that stupid fucking beanie youre wearing looks right on your [head]. 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By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and once a filmmaker, always a filmmaker. Feinberg asked the pair to share the origin story for Sr., and Susan Downey explained that their production company, Team Downey, had been working on a project focused on another (unnamed) Hollywood father-son duo but it wasnt gaining much traction. And when the movie cuts to a shot of the younger Downey having one last chance to hang out with him, a camera literally between them and buffering their exchanges yet capturing the moment permanently for posterity, its impossible not to feel a sense of happiness for these two men even as you view a goodbye through your own tears. Related: The Truth About Robert Downey Jr.'s Relationship With His Dad, Robert Downey Sr. Downey Jr says, in the documentary, "We were all altering our consciousness with substances. It's a question that's answered in affecting, if not always thoroughly probing ways in the otherwise compelling documentary "Sr.," a lively look at cult filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. and. Name another billion-dollar movie star who would let someone film a virtual therapy session (!) 2,584 likes, 13 comments - The Star (@thestaronline) on Instagram: "Robert Downey Jr recently opened up about his relationship with his late father, Robert Downey Sr." The Star on Instagram: "Robert Downey Jr recently opened up about his relationship with his late father, Robert Downey Sr, in the new Netflix documentary. He proved to be a unique doc subject in that rather than open up his life and sit for extended interviews, he pretty quickly hijacked the production and opted to direct his own movie within a movie. "I don't really know if my dad ever made peace with those many lost years.". (Downey Sr. and Elsies second child, Allyson, is only fleetingly mentioned and shown. He told the camera, "I was a drug addict. and other books. pairs the Robert Downeys in tender tribute to avant-garde filmmaker", "Sr. movie review & film summary (2022) | Roger Ebert", "National Board of Review Names 'Top Gun: Maverick' Best Film", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%22Sr.%22&oldid=1148628162, This page was last edited on 7 April 2023, at 10:21. Back to the documentary, Downey Jr. also said that for much of the production, he forgot cameras were rolling. All About Robert Downey Jr.'s Late Dad, Robert Downey Sr. Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey's Relationship Timeline, Robert Downey Jr. Sr. calls himself an idiot for encouraging his son to try pot when Jr. was just a kid (both men suffered serious drug problems at stages in their lives). With Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy, Alden Ehrenreich. Ahead of its Netflix release,Sr.will next screen at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 10 and 11. Sr., now streaming on Netflix, was just named the years top documentary by the National Board of Review. Clock Ending Explained: Does Dianna Agron Die At the End? That is its strength and, it seems, raison dtre, even if the film, directed by Chris Smith (American Movie, Fyre), with what might be called an unofficial assist from Downey Sr., feels largely made up as they went along and a product of some skillfully managed editing. On the very first day of filmingSr.,the new documentary about the life of maverick filmmaker and actor Robert Downey Sr., director Chris Smith (Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond,American Movie) received some thoughtful words from the subject himself. 1,047, This story has been shared 929 times. How to Watch the Live-Action 'Peter Pan'. Is 'Are You There God? It turned into this like Gordian Knot because he became so obsessed with the project. 'Sr.' Review: Robert Downey Jr.-Produced Documentary Pays Tribute to His Underground Filmmaker Father Telluride: We watch the great Robert Downey Sr. in his final years, as he. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Smith took him up on the idea. Downey Jr. wasnt alone in feeling overwhelmed with emotion. In the final moments of the Chris Smith-directed film, much sniffling could be heard inside the theater where celebrity guests like Tom Holland, Zendaya, Adrien Brody and Oscar winner Travon Free also took in the screening. Additional archival clips of Elsie Downey (a game mainstay in many of Downey Sr.s films; she died in 2014) and Sr.s second wife, actress-writer Laura Ernst, who died in 1994 at age 36 of ALS, are featured as well. The film becomes more direct as Sr.s condition worsens, and Jr. openly contemplates if a moment might be the last time he sees his father alive. Filmed over three years, Sr. is an intimate exploration of the maverick directors colorful life and rebellious career as well as his relationship with his son before he passed away from Parkinsons disease on July 7, 2021. 2,617, This story has been shared 1,935 times. Downey Sr. was best known for his breakthrough anti-establishment films such as Putney Swope and Greaser's Place. At one point during the project, the elder Downey embarked on his own version of the documentary, and Smith weaves that alternate narrative into the final movie. But it makes sense to include it; theres an openness and vulnerability to Sr. that the Downey men perhaps found, if not healing that may not be the right word, considering the emotional complexity of their situation then at least necessary. What Time Does 'Yellowjackets' Season 2, Episode 6 Air On Showtime? [Full disclosure: I saw that 69 acid-tipped comedy about race relations, revolution and the counter-culture getting a consumerist makeover, as a kid a few weeks after our first neighborhood video store opened. [4] Premise [ edit] Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". He initially thought of doing a film about Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr., but the star proposed something different. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Downey Sr.s relationship with his son, Robert Downey Jr., is a prominent part of the story. And very quickly the word came back that he was not interested, but he thought somebody should do a documentary on his dad.. [11], The film won the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Feature. He also appeared in movies such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia and To Live and Die. We also meet Sr.s third wife, Rosemary; Downey Jr.s second wife and business partner, Susan (a producer here with Downey Jr.); and Jr. and Susans young children, son Exton and, more briefly, daughter Avri. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. DC Comics' 'Sweet Tooth' Receives Netflix Adaptation: Watch the Trailer [10] In 1998 he married his third wife, Rosemary Rogers, humorist and co-author of Saints Preserve Us! "We had a meeting at his company and just sort of threw out the idea of doing a documentary on [Robert Downey Jr.]," Smith recalled during an . Which isnt to say the film is nothing but raw nerves. Robert Downey Jr.'s newest film is a documentary honoring his late father, Robert Downey Sr. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images) ROBERT DOWNEY JR. SHARES HEARTFELT POST FOR WIFE SUSAN ON.
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