robert downey sr documentary

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robert downey sr documentary

4,235, This story has been shared 2,972 times. Its nervy in its restless meta-qualities, with scenes frequently addressing the very conception and construction of this film. Fundraiser, Zendaya Recalls First Date at 15 to See Spider-Man in 3D, Netflix Lands Adam McKay Movie Starring Robert Pattinson, Amy Adams, U.S. Digital Giants to Finance Local Content After Canada's Online Streaming Bill Becomes Law, Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? "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. Is one powerful family to blame for the deaths of five people in the wilds of South Carolinas Lowcountry? ", Downey Jr. reflected on his dad's addiction as a disease in a recent Deadline interview, saying it's an "uncomfortable" conversation in general since "nobody wants to admit complete defeat over trying to deal with something like alcoholism or addiction. To do it by making a movie or his version of it, it just kind ends up making sense.. RITTENHOUSE SQUARE is an. I knew of Robert Downey Sr. but I didnt really know him or his work that well, Smith said. Even his wife was surprised. [5][6][7][8][9] He grew up in Rockville Centre, New York. The website's consensus reads: "Sr. is an illuminating look at a fascinating filmmaker -- and a poignant tribute to a father from his son. 'Sr.' Director Chris Smith On The Things Left Unsaid Between Robert Downey Sr. And His Famous Son https://bit.ly/3LeHj8x #DeadlineContenders TV Documentary + Unscripted 29 Apr 2023 17:51:15 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+? It was an idiot move on our parts, a lot of us, to share that with out children. 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). [21], A 2022 documentary film simply called "Sr." was made by Chris Smith of American Movie fame and was produced by his son. This is a real life. Documentary From Chris Smith Heading To Netflix By Matt Grobar November 14, 2022 9:56am Netflix has unveiled a trailer for its Robert Downey Sr. documentary. "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 . 1,875, This story has been shared 1,634 times. He did have a list of questions on the brain that he wanted to get answered by his father before he passed. Susan [asked], What is this project? And I was like, I dont know, but we cant stop. It really could have gone to hell in a hand basket., Added Susan Downey: [Robert Downey Sr.] was already actively looking to be engaged and to have a project to be doing, so I think that helped. They chat about life and their many shared experiences, including Downey Jr.s formative gigs as a kid actor in Pound and Greasers and their later collaborations on Downey Sr.s obscure comedies Too Much Sun (1990) and Hugo Pool (1997). Robert Downey, Sr. is Robert Downey, Jr.'s father. Coming Soon. Dolby Digital, Best Upcoming Documentaries from the Fall Festivals. 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. Privacy Policy [3] He was the son of Elizabeth (ne McLauchlen), a model, and Robert John Elias Sr., who worked in management of motels and restaurants. The saga of Summerhouse concludes in September. Total, total insanity.". 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. 1,100, This story has been shared 1,047 times. Its really raw, he says of the scene. Things are unfinished. Ahead of its Netflix release,Sr.will next screen at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 10 and 11. The treasure hunt is just getting started. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com. John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Eventually, a chronological narrative starts to form, as we see early successes lead to other opportunities, a West Coast relocation, drugs, more drugs, a second marriage, and rehabilitation. The result, Netflix's Sr., became something neither of them could have ever. How to Watch the Live-Action 'Peter Pan'. (Downey Sr. and Elsies second child, Allyson, is only fleetingly mentioned and shown. ), How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Review: In Guardians 3, ultra-weird superhero fun doesnt have to be Rocket science, The new Tom Cruise just might be a London office worker with a taste for risk, Jonathan Majors accuser gets full temporary protection order ahead of court date, Review: A deep-cut masterwork, De Humani Corporis Fabrica is already one of 2023s best movies, Review: Girl power and freaky evil collide to make Polite Society a rowdy good time. Things are inconclusive. JOIN NOW Robert Downey Jr., Alan Arkin, Paul Thomas Anderson, Norman Lear and Sean Hayes appear in this poignant documentary. Paul Thomas Anderson was inspired by them. and the 'Sr.' Director Chris Smith On The Things Left Unsaid Between Robert Downey Sr. And His Famous Son -Contenders TV: Docs + Unscripted By Matthew Carey April 29, 2023 10:50am Deadline If. 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. This story has been shared 55,770 times. So Smith and his fellow producer/cameraman Kevin Ford start rolling film on the old man, and it turns out that Downey Sr. is no more interested in someone telling his life story than his son is. But in the late 1960s, he became a counterculture icon after making such absurdist underground movies as Chafed Elbows, No More Excuses and his most notable and influential hit, the anarchic ad-agency satire Putney Swope. His well-timed work was a barbed, unapologetic mirror of that eras political and social turbulence. Even a casual viewer can tell that Jr. keeps wanting to ask his dad questions that Sr. might not want to answer, and that they both know that time is running out. [15][16][17], Downey was married three times. Sr., a documentary feature about the maverick independent filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. that was directed by Chris Smith ( Fyre) and counts Robert Downey Jr. among its producers, has been acquired . Bring your cameras. 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. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. In the new Netflix documentary Sr., the Iron Man actor, 57, pays tribute to his director dad Robert Downey Sr., who had Parkinson's disease and died in July 2021 at 85. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. 55,770, This story has been shared 8,222 times. and other books. [6], "Sr." was released in selected theatres on November 18, 2022, before streaming on Netflix beginning December 2. A thousand thank yous, Sr.]. Team Downey, Sound Mix: Your Ticket Confirmation # is located under the header in your email that reads "Your Ticket Reservation Details". His first marriage was to actress Elsie Ann Ford (19342014) in 1962, with whom he had two children: actress-writer Allyson (born 1963) and actor Robert Jr. (born 1965). 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The countercultural filmmaker passed away in July last year. Susan Downey, Robert John Downey Sr. ( n Elias Jr.; June 24, 1936 - July 7, 2021) was an American filmmaker and actor. [12], In 1961, working with film editor Fred von Bernewitz, Downey began writing and directing low-budget 16mm films that gained an underground following, beginning with Ball's Bluff (1961), a fantasy short about a Civil War soldier who awakens in Central Park in 1961. It currently sits as Downey Jr.s best reviewed project on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, a surreal fact that he pointed out on stage. once a filmmaker, always a filmmaker. In the new Netflix documentary Sr., the Iron Man actor, 57, pays tribute to his director dad Robert Downey Sr., who had Parkinson's disease and died in July 2021 at 85.At one point in the film . Everyone thinks that Im so eccentric that Im completely walking around in a bubble of unawareness, he quipped. I think that morphed into these Zoom calls because of the restrictions of Covid. "You know, I think we would be remiss to not discuss its effect on me," he told his father, who said, "Boy, I could sure love to miss that discussion. 1h 30m, Distributor: The films were highly eccentric live-wire comedies, often high-concept or allegorical. Our Take: Sr. is shot in gorgeous, crystalline black-and-white, perhaps to reflect the aesthetic of Sr.s early work, perhaps to give it a nostalgic aesthetic, perhaps to render the relationship between father and son within a warm, soft, gray area where simple emotions love, respect, fondness can comfortably exist alongside the more complicated ones. Daughter Allyson and son Robert Downey Jr. each made their film debuts in the 1970 absurdist comedy Pound at the ages of 7 and 5, respectively; Allyson would appear in one more film by her father, Up the Academy. As a sort of bargaining chip, they let him make his own concurrent, alternate version of the doc while theyre shooting their take. He ended up participating because he had the way he was willing to participate, which again, now in reflection makes sense because this is a guy who always communicated through his movies, much more than ever articulating any responses. When he approached the star, however, Downey demurred. What Movies Will It Remind You Of? We want to hear from you! Nonbinary 'Yellowjackets' Star Liv Hewson Is Sitting out of Emmy Season Over Gendered Categories, 'Yellowjackets' Season 2 Episode 5 Recap: Digging the Antler Queen, Drew Barrymore Opens up About Up Close and Personal Interview Style: "I Feel This Magnetic Pull", Why Isn't 'The Drew Barrymore Show' on Today? Literally, in the case of the poster for his breakthrough movie, the 1969 up-against-the-wall-Madison-Ave. satire Putney Swope. Did you look that up or was that a headline? she asked. They lived in New York City. There are no featured audience reviews for "Sr." at this time. Knowing what I know now, Smith said in a statement, its really the only way you could attempt to make something on the two Downeys. Theres so many examples of it right now where everyones trying to get their narrative out there. 3 Is Yet Another Big Marvel Movie Misstep, Rachel Weisz Doubles Down in Dead Ringers, To Love Tupac Was to Fight With Tupac: Why Allen Hughes Needed to Make Dear Mama, Barry Recap: A Tragic Death Shakes Up Bill Haders Dark Satire, Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky, Roy Wood Jr. Torches Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon at the WHCD, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning Is Your New Reality-TV Addiction, Pharrells Something in the Water Fest Cancels Final Day Due to Severe Weather, Stagecoach: Kane Brown Breaks Mental Health Stigma With 'Memory,' Talks Depression, Bernie Sanders: Many GOP Leaders 'Don't Even Believe in Democracy', Juan Luis Guerra's Timeless Classics Come to Madison Square Garden. Trending He gets the shakes sometimes, he says. 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. Regal 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? Copyright Fandango. Smith took him up on the idea. You know, Ive got a phone.. 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. Related Director: Chris Smith (Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond . [18] Downey died of complications from Parkinson's disease in his sleep at his home in Manhattan, on July 7, 2021, thirteen days after his 85th birthday. Memorable Dialogue: TV producer Norman Lear describes working with Sr.: Time spent with him was perfectly, wonderfully, deliciously insane.. The documentary also unpacks personal themes ranging from creativity and mortality to fatherhood and generational trauma. 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! Heres Downey Sr. telling his son about a plane crash he experienced while in the army, which led to him getting thrown in the stockade, which led to a sympathetic jailer giving him pen and paper so he could pass the time by writingwhich eventually led to a life compulsively behind the lens. Starring:Robert Downey Sr., Robert Downey Jr. Watch all you want. I wouldnt say Chris was happy that it went this way but its much more like real life. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number. As perhaps is true of most father-son relationships, some sensitive matters between the Downeys appear unresolved. I rented the tape solely because of that image on the box, and it permanently warped my sensibilities. A.I. But Downey Jr. was quick to point out that the filmmakers didnt set out to tug at the heart strings. If you can be a small part of creating an alternative world for them that says, Hey, Im here. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. "I don't really know if my dad ever made peace with those many lost years.". Where Was 'John Mulaney: Baby J' on Netflix Filmed? Pamela Anderson's New Memoir: Biggest Bombshells and Revelations, from Jack Nicholson to JFK Jr. Bryan Martin on How Writing Music After Misfiring a Gun Saved His Life: 'I've Lived Through It', Robert Downey Jr. Despite his blockbuster success, he also said he found it quite surreal to be see large scale promotions for Sr. across Los Angeles. Nick Cannon Rejoices in Cancellation of Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk: That Table Was Toxic. 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. He initially thought of doing a film about Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr., but the star proposed something different. 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. ', Sr.: Robert Downey Jr. At one point in the film, Downey Jr. addresses his past addiction and the influence his father had on that by bringing it up during a phone call with him. "[8] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 78 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". CIA Director, Noam Chomsky Named in Epstein's Private Calendar: Report Produced by Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Chris Smith, 'Sr.' is an intimate portrait of art and life. Sadly, Sr.'s career in the 90s took a wrong turn on the Hollywood freeway, where his quirky genius and undisciplined creativity were tampered down by studio moguls ("Hugo Pool" is perhaps the best of the later films). You're almost there! He's a man who says, "Yes" to every idea, even if it doesn't prove fruitful. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Sr. made eight films between 1965 and 1975, most famously the satirical black comedy Putney Swope, which was entered in the National Film Registry. "[10] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave the film three out of four stars, stating that although the documentary "sometimes feels like it's playing tug-of-war between something one would watch in a film studies class and something one would watch in a psychology class", its approach makes it feel more personal. He was known for writing and directing his underground film Putney Swope, a satire on the New York Madison Avenue advertising world. Robert Downey Jr., Follow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural come Read allFollow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural comedy in the 1960s and 1970s.Follow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural comedy in the 1960s and 1970s. Even standing back there watching it 40 minutes ago, I was like, Jesus. Im still processing it but its a luxury to have something like that documented as a touchstone to keep going back and thinking about it., Hes even grateful for those unanswered questions. RT25: Celebrating 25 years of Rotten Tomatoes. See production, box office & company info, Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths. [14], Downey's films were often family affairs. 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. It's Me, Margaret. May 17: "Sr." In celebration of this documentary about the late maverick filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., Emmy winner Judd Apatow will moderate a conversation with the film's director Chris . Sr.s exploration of a famous and frequently infamous father-son relationship is as moving as it is fascinating. So why not give him the chance to do his thing while they do theirs? Here's When It Returns With New Episodes, Drew Barrymore Halts Segment After "Severely Old" Mac and Cheese Noodle Flies off Her Desk: "It's Rock Hard", Drew Barrymore Opens Up to Madison Beer About Attempting Suicide Twice: "I Was So Desperate". Oppenheimer: Directed by Christopher Nolan. Robert Downey Jr.'s documentary "Sr.," a tribute to his dying father, filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., is the stuff dreams are made on, a freestyle, loopy narrative, much like that of his father's films, that doesn't so much as unfold as unravel. 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]. In keeping with the underground tradition, his 1970s films were independently made on shoestring budgets and were relatively obscure in the Absurdist movement, finding cult notoriety. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Actor Robert Downey Jr has shared the first poster of the Netflix documentary Sr., which is based on the life of his father and late Hollywood director, Robert Downey Sr. Streaming Schedule, Season 5, Part 2 Debut Info, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved, Robert Downey Jr. Theres a greater idea at play here that clearly supersedes any concerns that the film is a vanity project or navel-gazing exercise, and its spoken clearly during a Zoom session between Jr. and his therapist, the latter pointing out that he and his father have always found their personal lives inevitably tangled with their filmmaking, so it makes sense that theyd explore their relationship via their art. 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. 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. 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. Link to Are You There God? Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky, We also get the requisite clips of Sr.s movies, and a sense of the era in which avant-garde, grainy 16mm movies about a guy marrying his mom (big up Chafed Elbows!) Elon Musk and Bill Maher Warn Against the 'Woke Mind Virus,' a.k.a. "And suddenly I knew I had made a terrible, stupid mistake. A Tourists Guide to Love Filming Locations: Where Was the Rachael Leigh Cook Movie Filmed? ", He recalled becoming addicted around the time he made the 1987 film Less Than Zero. potentially get the credit he deserves. 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). Robert Jr.'s lengthy acting rsum includes appearances in eight films directed by his father (Pound, Greaser's Palace, Moment to Moment, Up the Academy, America, Rented Lips, Too Much Sun, Hugo Pool), as well as two acting appearances in movies where his father was also an actor (Johnny Be Good, Hail Caesar). The film explores Downey Sr.s life and work, including his influential 1969 satirical comedy,Putney Swope. Downey Jr starred in Robert Downey Sr's wacky counterculture movies as an child; now he puts this radical and potent personality in a documentary of his own Peter Bradshaw @ PeterBradshaw1 Blood In Blood Out became an L.A. classic anyway, Review: The natural horror of the biological Clock, and more movies to stream, Super Mario Bros. Movie hits $1 billion, is No. The thriller follows a forensics agent desperate for answers after finding out shes an identical triplet. Clock Ending Explained: Does Dianna Agron Die At the End? 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. Team Downey. Robert Downey Sr. was an American filmmaker who gained prominence thanks to his work on Putney Swope, an underground satire following the cutthroat advertising world of New York's Madison. "Sr.," directed by Chris Smith, is a work of father-son harmony more than might be suggested by Downey Sr.'s typically brusque assertion of filmmaking independence. I also hate puff pieces. R (Language and Some Drug Use), Genre: Smith started his documentary career with the story of an independent filmmaker making his lo-fi, now-budget dream come true in 1999s American Movie, and this look at a true D.I.Y. Like father, like son? It won the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Feature. [10][19][20], The Criterion Collection released five of his films (the National Film Registry inductee Putney Swope, Babo 73, Chafed Elbows, No More Excuses and Taos Tonight) as part of the Eclipse Series. Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his late father in this documentary chronicling the life and eclectic career of pioneering filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. Coming Soon. Sunny Hostin Opens Up About Receiving Hurtful Emails on The View: Im Not Liked By Half The Country, Sunny Hostin Shades Meghan McCain for Scathing Column About 'The View': "Our Show Is a Wonderful Place", Sunny Hostin Rips Nikki Haley on 'The View' for Suggesting Biden Could Die During Second Term: "Crass", Joy Behar Tears Into Republican Lawmakers' "Transphobia" on 'The View': "It's Not Even Undercover Anymore".

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robert downey sr documentary

robert downey sr documentary

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