The American Movie filmmaker thought that the former man in the iron suit would make a fascinating subject for a doc. He moved into big-budget filmmaking with the surrealistic Greaser's Palace (1972). 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. (now on Netflix) lets us see inside Robert Downey Jr.s home and a little bit of whats inside his heart. You should film that guy. 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Kevin Ford, Release Date (Theaters): [10] He changed his surname to Downey after his stepfather, when he wanted to enlist in the United States Army while being underage. 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.. List of Movies and TV Shows", "Film director Robert Downey Sr dies at 85", "Robert Downey Sr. Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! 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. (1987s porn-industry satire, Rented Lips, goes unmentioned, perhaps for good reason.). According to film scholar Wheeler Winston Dixon, Downey's films during the 1960s were "strictly take-no-prisoners affairs, with minimal budgets and outrageous satire, effectively pushing forward the countercultural agenda of the day. Sr.s irrepressible love of moviemaking comes through in the film. 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. 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. 'Sanditon' Ending Explained: Does Charlotte Marry Colbourne? If you can be a small part of creating an alternative world for them that says, Hey, Im here. The documentary also unpacks personal themes ranging from creativity and mortality to fatherhood and generational trauma. 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]. Robert Downey, Sr. is Robert Downey, Jr.'s father. Smith described the sage advice as the guiding light for the project, which has been acquired by Netflix following its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival. If anybody has ever dealt with someone with addiction, you know it has nothing to do with someone else, she replied. The Team Downey-produced film is an intimate portrait of art, fatherhood and healing generational trauma. You think youre just driving past Westwood and theres a picture of me and my dad, he noted. Regal Read critic reviews. 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). Alan Arkin: You didn't even know if there was a story. Downey Sr.s relationship with his son, Robert Downey Jr., is a prominent part of the story. He told the camera, "I was a drug addict. 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. 1,047, This story has been shared 929 times. Is one powerful family to blame for the deaths of five people in the wilds of South Carolinas Lowcountry? Robert Downey Jr. Explores Late Father's Life in Emotional Sr. Trailer 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. 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. 2,584 likes, 13 comments - The Star (@thestaronline) on Instagram: "Robert Downey Jr recently opened up about his relationship with his late father, Robert Downey Sr." The Star on Instagram: "Robert Downey Jr recently opened up about his relationship with his late father, Robert Downey Sr, in the new Netflix documentary. The Team Downey-produced film is an intimate portrait of art, fatherhood and healing generational trauma. "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 saga of Summerhouse concludes in September. Stream It or Skip It: 'A Pinch of Portugal' on Hallmark, Where Heather Hemmens Accidentally Goes from Prep Chef to Celeb Chef, Stream It Or Skip It: Kiss, Kiss! on Netflix, a Polish Rom-Com With an Oogy Womanizer Protagonist. I think that morphed into these Zoom calls because of the restrictions of Covid. He initially thought of doing a film about Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr., but the star proposed something different. Dec 2, 2022, Runtime: The documentary "Sr.," which played at the New York Film Festival, sees the "Iron Man" star lovingly memorialize his late father, the renegade filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. ", Personality Crisis: One Night Only Finds Punk Pioneer David Johansen Recounting His Many Lives, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Legacy of J Dilla' on FX/Hulu, Exploring The Life, Beats, And Career Of The Late Hip-Hop Hero, Stream It Or Skip It: Little Richard: I Am Everything on VOD, A Biodoc As Vibrant As Its Subject, Stream It Or Skip It: Dear Mama on FX, A Powerfully-Told Docuseries About The Life and Legacy of Tupac Shakur, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Peter Pan and Wendy' on Disney+, Director David Lowery's Lightly Visionary Disney Rehash, Where Was Peter Pan and Wendy Filmed? 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 . His second marriage, to actress-writer Laura Ernst, lasted until her death on January 27, 1994, from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Team Downey. Remembers His Late Dad's Laughter in Emotional 'Sr.' Coming Soon: 'Sr.,' a New Documentary About Robert Downey Sr. - Netflix Unfortunately, follow-up films such as 1970s humans-playing-animals comedy Pound and 1972s acid western-Christ parable, Greasers Palace, did little to burnish his reputation. Everyone thinks that Im so eccentric that Im completely walking around in a bubble of unawareness, he quipped. The film explores Downey Sr.s life and work, including his influential 1969 satirical comedy,Putney Swope. Smith took him up on the idea. 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. But by the time he actually gets there to have this conversation, its almost too late, Smith said. By David Fear. [3] He was the son of Elizabeth (ne McLauchlen), a model, and Robert John Elias Sr., who worked in management of motels and restaurants. Netflix has acquired the worldwide rights to "Sr.," a documentary film about the life of the late filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. as directed by Chris . Poguelandia is not quite the paradise the Pogues hoped. Trailer", "Review: 'Sr.' Stay up-to-date on all the latest Rotten Tomatoes news! It's a kind of home movie,. Back in 2000, Downey Sr. told Vanity Fair about the moment he gave drugs to Downey Jr. at age 6 when he caught him sipping wine. [4] Premise [ edit] 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. : The recent slate of surprisingly intimate celeb-bio documentaries includes Val Kilmers Val, Charlotte Gainsbourgs Jane by Charlotte and Jonah Hill-and-his-therapist film Stutz. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Pops will be there with us. Jr. remembers his father as being driven by his filmmaking vision always people around him, always working, always writing, always turning the house into an editing bay. 2,972, This story has been shared 2,617 times. 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 . The Star on Instagram: "Robert Downey Jr recently opened up about his Just confirm how you got your ticket. is a lovingly irreverent portrait of the life and career of maverick filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. that quickly devolves into a meditation on art, mortality, and healing generational. Is The Nurse On Netflix Based On A True Story? Sundays conversation, presented by FIJI Water, was part of LA3C, an inaugural two-day culture and creativity festival put on by The Hollywood Reporters owner Penske Media. 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. However, there is a thread that holds this narrative together: the chronology of Downey's short career, beginning with "Chafed Elbows" in 1966 to "Putney Swope" in 1969, the film for which he is best remembered (accepted to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress--an argument can be made for "Greaser's Palace" from 1972, a worthy film, fully realized, and borderline coherent). with updates on movies, TV shows, Rotten Tomatoes podcast and more. Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his late father in this documentary chronicling the life and eclectic career of pioneering filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. The documentary will stream on Netflix from December 2. Total, total insanity.". Adrien Brody attends the screening and discussion. When Chris Smith a documentarian who had tackled everything from Method acting run . Cinemark It turned into this like Gordian Knot because he became so obsessed with the project. Like father, like son? Sr. proves a tender portrait and fitting tribute to an offbeat hero and creative pioneer. 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. Sr. made eight films between 1965 and 1975, most famously the satirical black comedy Putney Swope, which was entered in the National Film Registry. 1,935, This story has been shared 1,875 times. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. '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. Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his late father in this documentary chronicling the life and eclectic career of pioneering filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. 1h 30m, Distributor: These concluding moments among three generations of Downey men are lovely and memorable. These meet-cutes will bring on all the feels. And I go, 'You know, you ought to try a little of this instead of drinking.' Rated: R, for language and some drug useRunning time: 1 hour, 29 minutesPlaying: Starts Nov. 23, Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica; available Dec. 2 on Netflix, Robert Downey Sr. in the documentary Sr., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Jack Nicholson returns courtside to cheer beloved Lakers to playoff win, Disney neglected it. Trailer, Lionel Richie's 3 Kids: Everything to Know, Robert Downey Jr. Is Unrecognizable as He Transforms into Balding Redhead for HBO's 'The Sympathizer', Flavor Flav Says He Was Spending Up to $2,600 a Day on Drugs for 6 Years Before Getting Sober, Priscilla Presley's Son Navarone Garcia Breaks His Silence: 'People Know 'About' Me, But They Don't 'Know' Me', Tom Arnold Recalls Staging Intervention for Chris Farley Before Overdose: 'He Did His Best'. To do it by making a movie or his version of it, it just kind ends up making sense.. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story: Season 1, Link to Marvel Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Link to RT25: Celebrating 25 Years of Rotten Tomatoes, Link to Prime Video Acquires J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, Library Films, Is 'Are You There God? Director: Chris Smith (Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond . Its just the way that it unfolded was really evocative, he explained, crediting Smith as our fearless director and adding, We were just trying to strike the right balance.. But Downey Jr. was quick to point out that the filmmakers didnt set out to tug at the heart strings. Nick Cannon Rejoices in Cancellation of Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk: That Table Was Toxic. Robert Downey Jr-backed documentary Sr. gets OTT release date. See Paul Thomas Anderson was inspired by them. The Jewish News of Northern California, "FILM; Robert Downey Jr. Is Chaplin (on Screen) and a Child (Off)", "Robert Downey Sr., Filmmaker and Provocateur, Is Dead at 85", "Robert Downey Jr: I don't even know what it's like to be stoned any more", "Weddings: Rosemary Rogers, Robert Downey", "Robert Downey Sr., accomplished filmmaker and actor and dad of Robert Downey Jr., dead at 85", "Robert Downey Sr death: Celebrated filmmaker and father of Robert Downey Jr dies aged 85", "Eclipse Series 33: Up All Night with Robert Downey Sr", "National Board of Review Names 'Top Gun: Maverick' Best Film", "Robert Downey Sr., Filmmaker Known for His Countercultural Satires, Dead at 85", "Robert Downey Sr. Our Call: STREAM IT. Robert Downey Jr., Trending Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. I passed him a joint," he recalled at the time. 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. 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! The latters Parkinsons disease is also beginning to get the best of the octogenarian. while is dad is literally dying in the next room.That none of this vital last half of Sr. feels narcissistic or performative its the opposite of that infamously cringeworthy Truth or Dare sequence is a testament to Smith, his editors and his subjects. RITTENHOUSE SQUARE is an. And when the movie cuts to a shot of the younger Downey having one last chance to hang out with him, a camera literally between them and buffering their exchanges yet capturing the moment permanently for posterity, its impossible not to feel a sense of happiness for these two men even as you view a goodbye through your own tears. ", "Giving a little kid a toke of grass just to be funny," he continued. 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. All rights reserved. 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. All Rights Reserved. Heres Everything You Need to Know, The Outer Banks Season 3 Trailer Just Washed Ashore. Sr. sits in an adjustable bed, his room converted into a makeshift editing bay, and watches the completed film but if it was completed, how could it include this very scene? Jada Pinkett Smiths 4-part documentary series returns with an intimate portrait of the cunning ruler. See production, box office & company info, Bardo: False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths. Robert Downey Jr. on New Documentary 'Sr.' Profiling His Father Paid for Armie Hammer's 2021 Florida Rehab Stay: Report, Jim Belushi Begged Chris Farley to End Drug Use After Seeing Brother John Overdose: 'You've Got to Stop', Jemele Hill Witnessed Her Mother's Drug Addiction and PTSD: 'I Just Saw Her Falling Apart'. We catch up with Jr. and Sr. at Jr.s home in the Hamptons as they discuss naming this very film Sr.; Sr. doesnt like it, but obviously, it stuck. Robert Downey Sr., who died on July 7, 2021, at the age of 85, was an underground American filmmaker, who in the 1960s made a lot of low budget movies across New York City, which would go on to inspire various modern filmmakers. Oppenheimer: Directed by Christopher Nolan. 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. The story of American scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. In the final moments of the Chris Smith-directed film, much sniffling could be heard inside the theater where celebrity guests like Tom Holland, Zendaya, Adrien Brody and Oscar winner Travon Free also took in the screening. Netflix Buys Robert Downey Jr. Father Documentary 'Sr.' - The Hollywood Robert John Downey Sr. ( n Elias Jr.; June 24, 1936 - July 7, 2021) was an American filmmaker and actor. Theres so many examples of it right now where everyones trying to get their narrative out there. 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. The Downeys: Robert Sr, left, and Jr, right, in the new Netflix documentary (Netflix) The documentary follows Downey Sr right up to the very end of his life, to the point where he is. 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). 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. [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. JOIN NOW Robert Downey Jr., Alan Arkin, Paul Thomas Anderson, Norman Lear and Sean Hayes appear in this poignant documentary. Related Rating: 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. Remembers His Late Dad's Laughter in Emotional 'Sr.' 4,590, This story has been shared 4,235 times. The treasure hunt is just getting started. 1,634, This story has been shared 1,370 times. "[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". ", Downey Jr., who is now sober, said it took him another 20 years to "get my own s--- together.". '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. I wouldnt say Chris was happy that it went this way but its much more like real life. What most notoriously binds Sr. and son, however, was a long and self-destructive addiction to drugs: Downey Sr.s began in the mid-70s; Jr.s far more well-documented habit landed him a prison stretch a few decades later. In 1970, Robert Downey Jr. made his onscreen debut at the age of five in his father's film called Pound.Now, nearly more than five decades later, the father-son duo embark on a final cinematic . 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. Copyright Fandango. Bring your cameras. There are no featured audience reviews for "Sr." at this time. 'Firefly Lane' Ending Explained: Does Kate Malarkey Die? 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. And very quickly the word came back that he was not interested, but he thought somebody should do a documentary on his dad.. Emily Barclay Ford, Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. The countercultural filmmaker passed away in July last year. Director Chris Smith Stars Robert Downey Sr. Zaina Ali Paul Thomas Anderson See production, box office & company info I'll never forgive myself, but Robert and I have dealt with it, and he's said to me, 'I'm not a victim, Dad. once a filmmaker, always a filmmaker. What is the Japanese language plot outline for Sr. (2022)? Dies: 'Putney Swope' Director, Father Of Actor Robert Downey Jr. Was 85", "Robert Downey Sr., Actor and Counterculture Director, Dies at 85", Eclipse Series 33: Up All Night with Robert Downey Sr. on The Criterion Collection, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Robert_Downey_Sr.&oldid=1150210554, Senior Secret Service Agent Thomas Bateman, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 22:13. 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. This is not a Disney+ thing going on here. 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? 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". 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. But he did mention a counter-offer: What about my dad? Rittenhouse Square (2005) Robert Downey Sr. I also hate puff pieces. Name another billion-dollar movie star who would let someone film a virtual therapy session (!)
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