), 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. As perhaps is true of most father-son relationships, some sensitive matters between the Downeys appear unresolved. Which isnt to say the film is nothing but raw nerves. Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Trending Alan Arkin: You didn't know where the story was gonna go. Robert Downey Jr. reconnects with his filmmaker dad in Netflix's poignant documentary "Sr." The "Iron Man" actor sits down with his father in this touching and revealing tribute three years. 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? 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. Pops will be there with us. Family remains a through line, if not exactly a center of stability. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! If you can be a small part of creating an alternative world for them that says, Hey, Im here. 'Dolittle,' Sia's 'Music,' '365 Days' Lead 2021 Razzie Awards Nominees. [10] He changed his surname to Downey after his stepfather, when he wanted to enlist in the United States Army while being underage. 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. The Gist: I was just Bob Downeys kid for a long time. Its hard to believe that Robert Downey Jr. you know, I am Iron Man was ever in someone elses shadow, but thats how long and far and wide his fathers was cast. 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). 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Library Films, Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Just confirm how you got your ticket. 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Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter 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. [6], "Sr." was released in selected theatres on November 18, 2022, before streaming on Netflix beginning December 2. 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. Read critic reviews. 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. You should film that guy. The conversations begin to have a push-pull dynamic, along with an incredible sense of candor and honesty. 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. Turns 58 as He Shares Video Celebrating His 'Blessings' and 'Sweet' Marriage. 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. 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 . Snippets of Sr.s acting stints in a few of his early works as well as a role in Paul Thomas Andersons Boogie Nights are also woven in, as are interviews with friends including Anderson (who provides personal archival footage), Alan Arkin, Norman Lear and Lawrence Wolf, the last a frequent performer in Downey Sr.s 60s and 70s films. Related Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. And then a funny thing happens on the way to Sr.s portrait of an artist: It ends up becoming about not one but two men, dual reluctance be damned. cinema legend is his own way of coming full circle. Such is the heartbreak of impending loss. 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. Downey Jr. has long earned the right to stop addressing his lost-weekend years, which has now become a career footnote, yet he opens up about it for Smiths cameras. 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. [15][16][17], Downey was married three times. Documentary Slow Learner 885 subscribers Subscribe 66 3.6K views 1 year ago "A Year in the Life of an American Park. 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). "[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". [14], Downey's films were often family affairs. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. Ahead of its Netflix release,Sr.will next screen at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 10 and 11. While the music portion of the festival took place downtown at Los Angeles State Historic Park and featured big name acts like Maluma, Snoop Dogg, Lil Baby, Seventeen and Free Nationals, other Penske Media brands hosted insider events across the city. Terms and Policies All rights reserved. This story has been shared 55,770 times. 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. McKay's cast includes Amy Adams ( Vice ), Forest Whitaker ( Big George Foreman ), Danielle Deadwyler ( Till ), and Robert Downey Jr. ( Oppenheimer ), who most recently produced and appeared in his . Nick Cannon Rejoices in Cancellation of Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk: That Table Was Toxic. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Remembers His Late Dad's Laughter in Emotional 'Sr.' But thats the high-minded stuff. [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. Emily Barclay Ford, Coming Soon, Regal 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. 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). Netflix, Production Co: This whole project sadly started off for me, honestly, it was an avoidance pattern. Downey Jr. explained that response. I knew of Robert Downey Sr. but I didnt really know him or his work that well, Smith said. 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Robert Downey Jr. has done this in a documentary that he co-produced called Sr., which is one of the most anticipated Robert Downey Jr. upcoming projects because it is more personal and. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Robert Downey Jr. recalled in the Netflix documentary that he was "playing a game of just wanting to self-soothe or just stay loaded rather than deal with the fact that things had gone off the tracks a little bit". Downey Jr. wasnt alone in feeling overwhelmed with emotion. Robert Downey, Sr. is Robert Downey, Jr.'s father. It pays to know the backstory of Sr. going in, which helps explain the sort of beautifully loose, free-flowing way it intercuts a very traditional nonfiction template with the subjects own tangential bits of footage. They have to be ready. 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. Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Jurassic Park Movies Ranked By Tomatometer, RT25: Celebrating 25 Years of Rotten Tomatoes, Fatal Attraction Series Stars Joshua Jackson and Lizzy Caplan on the Sexy, Unsettling Psychological Thriller, Prime Video Acquires J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves Batman: Caped Crusader and 2 More Animated Projects, Sr. is an illuminating look at a fascinating filmmaker -- and a poignant tribute to a father from his son. 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. They lived in New York City. We want to hear it. ", 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. 1h 30m, Distributor: Occasionally, we see Sr. watching the footage hes shot and editing it with Fords help, giving the whole affair a hall-of-mirrors effect. I was just kinda playing a game of just wanting to self-soothe or just stay loaded rather than deal with the fact that things had gone off the tracks a little bit. It won the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Feature. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Privacy Policy "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. He told the camera, "I was a drug addict. 8,222, This story has been shared 5,614 times. 'Firefly Lane' Ending Explained: Does Kate Malarkey Die? Back to the documentary, Downey Jr. also said that for much of the production, he forgot cameras were rolling. It was very refreshing to be with someone that the joy of it all was still so it was so encouraging to see it, Smith observed, like, at his age there was such a purity in terms of his excitement around anything related to getting a good shot.. [11], The film won the National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Feature. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. "Sr." is set to screen at the New York Film Festival on October 10, 2022 with an encore screening on October 11, 2022. The new doc depicts how one journalist uncovered a troubling trend of police turning survivors into suspects. "Sr.," a documentary directed by Chris Smith, with Robert Downey Jr. providing a strong production hand and onscreen presence, highlights that charisma and curiosity even when it shows the. The result, Netflix's Sr., became something neither of them could have ever. Elon Musk and Bill Maher Warn Against the 'Woke Mind Virus,' a.k.a. Robert Downey Jr. on Making of 'Sr.,' Addiction and Finding Peace With Final Moments of His Father's Life: "This is Not a Disney+ Thing" The superstar actor joined producer-wife Susan. And very quickly the word came back that he was not interested, but he thought somebody should do a documentary on his dad.. That was no easy feat. Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. And heres some random ducks and a few landscape shots Downey himself shot, in lieu of actually talking about himself. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. '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. [9], Gary Goldstein of The Los Angeles Times wrote: "Sr. proves a tender portrait and fitting tribute to an offbeat hero and creative pioneer. Director Chris Smith Stars Robert Downey Sr. Zaina Ali Paul Thomas Anderson See production, box office & company info 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. We want to hear from you! The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. I think that morphed into these Zoom calls because of the restrictions of Covid. Cinemark 2,972, This story has been shared 2,617 times. As a sort of bargaining chip, they let him make his own concurrent, alternate version of the doc while theyre shooting their take. [11][9] Downey later said he wrote an unpublished novel during his time in the army, though he spent much of his military career "in the stockade". "It was just a wild era," said Downey Jr. "That whole world, it gets tied into creativity. Coming Soon. Larger than life, but open and human as ever, it was such a pleasure and life-affirming experience to capture some glimpses of the highs, lows and everything in between.. 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. and the Its incomplete if you dont, said the Iron Man star. The documentary also unpacks personal themes ranging from creativity and mortality to fatherhood and generational trauma. ", Downey Jr., who is now sober, said it took him another 20 years to "get my own s--- together.". 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. And also, you feel bad about all the crazy s---, so then there's the guilt button," said the Avengers actor. 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. Alan Arkin: You didn't even know if there was a story. 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. By creating an account, you agree to the The documentary also unpacks personal themes ranging from creativity and mortality to fatherhood and generational trauma. Things are inconclusive. 2,617, This story has been shared 1,935 times. 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. Copyright Fandango. What starts as an offbeat portrait of an oddball underground filmmaker turns into something far more complicated, affectionate and moving, The Two Bobs: Robert Downey Sr. and Robert Downey Jr. in 'Sr. 4,235, This story has been shared 2,972 times. The countercultural filmmaker passed away in July last year. Historical Fact We were all altering our consciousness with substances. Dec 2, 2022, Runtime: Dolby Digital, Best Upcoming Documentaries from the Fall Festivals. But by the time he actually gets there to have this conversation, its almost too late, Smith said. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Although Sr. gets into some of the lunatic fodder that made Sr.s films great, it remains firmly rooted in recent years 2019, 2020, 2021. 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. 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. 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. Sr. proves a tender portrait and fitting tribute to an offbeat hero and creative pioneer. The thriller follows a forensics agent desperate for answers after finding out shes an identical triplet. 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. "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. 1,100, This story has been shared 1,047 times. 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. (Downey Sr. and Elsies second child, Allyson, is only fleetingly mentioned and shown. Robert Downey Sr. and Robert Downey Jr. in 2014. ", 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. For those who only think of Robert Downey Sr. as the father of the guy from the Marvel movies, Sr. is happy to fill in some blanks from here to paternity. Coming Soon: Sr., a New Documentary About Robert Downey Sr. 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. Netflix Lands Adam McKays New Comedy Average Height, Average Build, Nikole Hannah-Jones On Controversy Around The 1619 Project: This Is Not Actually A Radical Project Contenders TV: Docs + Unscripted, TheLastMovieStars Director Ethan Hawke On How Paul Newman And Joan Woodward Set High-Water Mark For Hollywood Contenders TV: Docs + Unscripted, Judy Blume Forever Filmmakers Discuss Beloved Author Who Inspires Devotion, And Book Banning Contenders TV: Doc + Unscripted, Contenders Docs + Unscripted Deadlines Complete Coverage. 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