Won't You Be My Neighbor? Review
Before you leave this post, be sure to check out an amazing editorial written by my dad that has to do with the film! I highly recommend it!
Wow. Just..........wow.
I don't recall watching too much Mr. Rogers when I was younger, but I did watch some episodes. Let's just say it wasn't particularly my first choice in TV because I don't recall myself being very interested in the show. I didn't think it was bad, I just think I was more interested in stuff like Bob the Builder and The Wiggles. But after watching this documentary, I kinda wish I watched the show more than I did. They just don't make shows this deeply emotional, intelligent, and kindhearted anymore. And I assure you that it impossible to find a creator who can understand kids' struggles and emotions as well as Fred Rogers did. The documentary is essentially about Rogers and his conception of the show and it demonstrates the importance of the message that he gave to millions of kids around the country.
I'm just gonna say it: this is probably not only my second favorite movie of the year so far, but probably my second favorite documentary EVER. I've watched many documentaries in the past few years; some are good, but some unfortunately just don't work. However, I've only seen one documentary that has had as much care and as much emotion poured into the film-making: Tower, my favorite documentary. This is a very close second, however.
In this documentary, every bit of footage is utilized in the best way possible. There's recent interviews with Rogers' friends, family, and coworkers, archive footage of Rogers and the show, and even animated sequences designed to represent his emotions and inner turmoil. All of these are combined seamlessly in order to create the best possible documentation of this complex and unbelievably kind man. It never feels like it drags on in certain areas. Every bit of footage is used to make an impact rather than pad the running time.
Besides the film-making aspect poured into it, the film excels on an emotional level. The best documentaries aren't just informative: they make you care about the subject. And this one certainly succeeds. To me, it painted Rogers as a normal (but abnormally nice) man who did something extraordinary, yet still struggled with insecurity. The film was clearly made by people who have a deep admiration for the message Rogers was trying to convey through his show. Or rather, his art. And the message in question is something that is near-impossible to come by in this era.
Ok, at this point, I'm not really gonna review anymore. I just need to convey my deep respect for this man.
Fred Rogers is a genius. There's just no arguing against that. Every shot, every sketch, and every song in the show is used to convey a surprisingly complex message that kids need in their lives. And Rogers, who spoke to kids as equals no matter what, thought that they needed to know about the tragic events that were occurring in the world. From Challenger's explosion, Bobby Kennedy's assassination, and even the threat of nuclear war, Mr. Rogers covered it all. But arguably the greatest message he conveyed was an anti-racism statement, where he rested his feet in a pool with fellow cast member Francois Clemmons (who was African American), to symbolize the pointlessness having of segregated pools. Keep in mind that this was very radical for the time, but it nevertheless conveyed something important. One particular scene in the documentary however, was so sweet and connected with me in a deeply personal way, to the point it just made me bawl. Basically, it was a song sung by Rogers' puppet, Daniel Tiger, about his struggles with self-worth while Betty Aberlin encouraged him. It's something I've struggled with in the past and this clip from the show really struck a chord with me. Because I then fully understood the purpose Rogers had for making the show. It wasn't in order to sell toys. It wasn't even in order to make money. Rather, his purpose was to speak to millions kids personally and remind them that they are beautiful just the way they are. He was not only about as nice as a person gets; the care that he put into demonstrating that every kid was special really tells you something about him. I wish more TV shows nowadays were like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I really think kids really need someone like Rogers to remind them that they are valuable. If there simply isn't anyone up for the task, then I hope PBS never stops airing reruns of the show: the message of Fred Rogers is just important now as it ever was before.
SCORE: 10/10
I highly recommend all of you readers to watch this documentary. It really shows how much of an impact something as simple as kindness can have on person's life. I sincerely hope this documentary will be an eye-opener for those making children's television. If there was ever a perfect way to make television for kids, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood would be just that.
I'm just gonna say it: this is probably not only my second favorite movie of the year so far, but probably my second favorite documentary EVER. I've watched many documentaries in the past few years; some are good, but some unfortunately just don't work. However, I've only seen one documentary that has had as much care and as much emotion poured into the film-making: Tower, my favorite documentary. This is a very close second, however.
In this documentary, every bit of footage is utilized in the best way possible. There's recent interviews with Rogers' friends, family, and coworkers, archive footage of Rogers and the show, and even animated sequences designed to represent his emotions and inner turmoil. All of these are combined seamlessly in order to create the best possible documentation of this complex and unbelievably kind man. It never feels like it drags on in certain areas. Every bit of footage is used to make an impact rather than pad the running time.
Besides the film-making aspect poured into it, the film excels on an emotional level. The best documentaries aren't just informative: they make you care about the subject. And this one certainly succeeds. To me, it painted Rogers as a normal (but abnormally nice) man who did something extraordinary, yet still struggled with insecurity. The film was clearly made by people who have a deep admiration for the message Rogers was trying to convey through his show. Or rather, his art. And the message in question is something that is near-impossible to come by in this era.
Ok, at this point, I'm not really gonna review anymore. I just need to convey my deep respect for this man.
Fred Rogers is a genius. There's just no arguing against that. Every shot, every sketch, and every song in the show is used to convey a surprisingly complex message that kids need in their lives. And Rogers, who spoke to kids as equals no matter what, thought that they needed to know about the tragic events that were occurring in the world. From Challenger's explosion, Bobby Kennedy's assassination, and even the threat of nuclear war, Mr. Rogers covered it all. But arguably the greatest message he conveyed was an anti-racism statement, where he rested his feet in a pool with fellow cast member Francois Clemmons (who was African American), to symbolize the pointlessness having of segregated pools. Keep in mind that this was very radical for the time, but it nevertheless conveyed something important. One particular scene in the documentary however, was so sweet and connected with me in a deeply personal way, to the point it just made me bawl. Basically, it was a song sung by Rogers' puppet, Daniel Tiger, about his struggles with self-worth while Betty Aberlin encouraged him. It's something I've struggled with in the past and this clip from the show really struck a chord with me. Because I then fully understood the purpose Rogers had for making the show. It wasn't in order to sell toys. It wasn't even in order to make money. Rather, his purpose was to speak to millions kids personally and remind them that they are beautiful just the way they are. He was not only about as nice as a person gets; the care that he put into demonstrating that every kid was special really tells you something about him. I wish more TV shows nowadays were like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I really think kids really need someone like Rogers to remind them that they are valuable. If there simply isn't anyone up for the task, then I hope PBS never stops airing reruns of the show: the message of Fred Rogers is just important now as it ever was before.
SCORE: 10/10
I highly recommend all of you readers to watch this documentary. It really shows how much of an impact something as simple as kindness can have on person's life. I sincerely hope this documentary will be an eye-opener for those making children's television. If there was ever a perfect way to make television for kids, Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood would be just that.
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