It’s not the smoothest or the slickest, but by virtue of its subject, it’s a documentary with a whole lot of heart.
What it's about
A look at the personal life and singular career of Gene Wilder, the icon behind iconic films like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and Stir Crazy.
The take
It’s immediately apparent that there are more carefully made documentaries out there than Remembering Gene Wilder. The film is riddled with pixelated photos for one, and the overall tone is fawning for another. But Wilder is too great of a man to be affected by mediocre filmmaking, and so Remembering Gene Wilder still makes for an entertaining and insightful watch despite its small faults. The film is less about his life and more about his work—a chronological account of his career with nuggets of wisdom for performers, comedians, and writers tucked neatly in between. It still dives into his personal life, to be sure, but as Wilder will readily admit, his creative decisions spell out all you need to know about him.
What stands out
Double bill this with Gilda Radner’s documentary, you cowards!
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Forgotten Love (2023)
The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama
7.7
Hail Satan? (2019)
Forget everything you think you know about the Satanic Temple
8.0
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Soulmates find each other through dance in this spectacular musical romance
7.0
The Commitments (1991)
Before Sing Street, there was The Commitments, an Irish band of young hopefuls escaping grim reality with the joy and promise of music
8.6
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (2024)
A gamer with disability crafts a life and community in online roleplay in this unconventional, moving documentary
8.3
The Edge of Democracy (2019)
Mixing personal history with hardcore journalism, this is the story of Brazil's fragile democracy.
9.0
Dick Johnson Is Dead (2020)
A darkly hilarious portrait of the inevitability of death
7.9
Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Finds magic in the ordinary every day—and reminds us the most special art is that which comes from the heart
8.3
Honeyland (2019)
A cinematic achievement in the portrayal of the last wild beekeeper in Europe