Our take
Daniel Johnston sings what is possibly the most heartbreaking song I’ve ever heard about a cow. In this documentary, we’re witness to his childhood in West Virginia (he was always manically filming himself), quasi-fame in the Austin, Texas, the indie-rock scene of the mid-80s, a series of brief appearances on MTV, and eventual spiral into mental illness. Johnston is talented but mentally unstable, and the film questions the shaky line that exists between genius/creativity and mental anguish.
What it won
Sundance
1 win
The story
This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.
Elsewhere
"I found the documentary surprisingly diverting as a case study."
— David Edelstein
"Pic is particularly well-crafted, managing to avoid the ambulance-chasing tenor that might easily have turned this into a voyeuristic freakshow."
— Dennis Harvey
The details
Who picked it
Tara Goe is a contributing writer at A Good Movie to Watch, reviewing films and shows across the major streaming services. Her work helps readers find overlooked titles worth their time.