Review of Life Itself (2014) by Matt C — 10 Jul 2014

I'm a person that will only see new movies in theaters. If a movie is simultaneously released day-and-date theatrically and on demand, I'll see it theatrically. If it isn't playing near me, I'll wait for it to play here me.

I live in Michigan but I just happened to be in Chicago for college orientation, so yay, I saw it in a theater in Chicago! And I'm so glad that I did, because seeing a film theatrically really enhances one's experience, and if I watched this at home, I wouldn't have laughed or bawled my eyes out as much, nor would I have been as deeply touched and enthralled.

This is an amazing documentary that is so unbelievably immersive and affective. I'll turn 18 in September and I've been reading Ebert's reviews since I was 12. His writing style and sarcastic humor was so inviting, and he was a person, not just a critic.

This movie captures that so well, using archive footage of his television show with Siskel, excerpts from his memoir, and new footage of him in the hospital, which is as brave as it is heartbreaking. The direction is candid and the interviews are truthful, but the entire documentary is respectful.

There's stuff in here that I didn't know about, and I applaud Ebert's family for their utter involvement in this project. The film is well-paced and balances different subjects, people, and themes very well without ever feeling crowded, and the movie flows from one piece to another seamlessly.

The main thing about this documentary is how much of an effect it had on me. The ending that shows Ebert's final months and days is beyond powerful; it was like 12 Years a Slave in how much I cried.

But it was a good cry, knowing that my emotions weren't being manipulated, because this is a expertly-crafted documentary that makes you close to its main subject, and then puts you in the place of his acquaintances and family.

I could definitely see this again because of how interesting it is, and its emotional pull to it. But seriously, see this in a theater if you want to really appreciate it. It just isn't fair to see a documentary about Roger Ebert at home and not at the movies.

9.7/10, masterful, two thumbs up (duh), far above average, etc.