"Sr." is set to screen at the New York Film Festival on October 10, 2022 with an encore screening on October 11, 2022. It's a kind of home movie,. [13] His last film was Rittenhouse Square (2005), a documentary capturing life in a Philadelphia park. 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. I passed him a joint," he recalled at the time. Family remains a through line, if not exactly a center of stability. Its a question thats 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 his exponentially more famous, deeply devoted son: Iron Man, Avengers and Sherlock Holmes star, Robert Downey Jr. Downey Sr. (born Robert Elias and referred to here simply as Sr.) may have been little more than a blip on the cinematic radar these last few decades. 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. Just confirm how you got your ticket. This whole project sadly started off for me, honestly, it was an avoidance pattern. When Chris Smith a documentarian who had tackled everything from Method acting run amuck to a music festival falling apart was asked what subjects he might be interested in pursuing in terms of a new project, he didnt mention a what. Instead, he gave his producers a who: Robert Downey Jr. "Sr." | Robert Downey Jr. | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube If there is anything to be learned from Sr.'s output of irreverent, undefinable, sometimes incomprehensible movies is that they are a pervasive call to action, so beautifully lampooned in "Putney Swope," which is to raise an indignant finger at the established order. The countercultural filmmaker passed away in July last year. Robert Downey Jr. on New Documentary 'Sr.' Profiling His Father 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 . Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. But Downey Jr. was quick to point out that the filmmakers didnt set out to tug at the heart strings. Robert Downey Jr. Explores Late Father's Life in Emotional Sr. Trailer What Time Is 'Firefly Lane' Season 2, Part 2: The Final Chapter on Netflix? Produced by Robert Downey Jr. and directed by Chris Smith, 'Sr.' is an intimate portrait of art and life. But thats the high-minded stuff. Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Pattinson's Serial Killer Movie Goes to 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? Succession Recap: Logan Roy Makes Shock Return, Shiv and Tom Get Kinky, We also get the requisite clips of Sr.s movies, and a sense of the era in which avant-garde, grainy 16mm movies about a guy marrying his mom (big up Chafed Elbows!) Robert Downey Jr. pays tribute to his late father in this documentary chronicling the life and eclectic career of pioneering filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. "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. Sr. will be available on Netflix before the end of the year. [12], National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary Feature, "Robert Downey Jr. The thriller follows a forensics agent desperate for answers after finding out shes an identical triplet. It was an idiot move on our parts, a lot of us, to share that with out children. Alan Arkin: You didn't even know if there was a story. That was no easy feat. Kevin Ford, Release Date (Theaters): Its just what Sr. and Jr. do, and to not include such self-analysis because self-analysis is very much what it is would be to disregard a large portion of their lives. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. Things are unfinished. He did have a list of questions on the brain that he wanted to get answered by his father before he passed. 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. 'Sr.' Netflix documentary review: A deeply personal eulogy from Robert 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. All About Robert Downey Jr.'s Late Dad, Robert Downey Sr. Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey's Relationship Timeline, Robert Downey Jr. 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. ", 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? Blood In Blood Out became an L.A. classic anyway, Review: The natural horror of the biological Clock, and more movies to stream, Super Mario Bros. Movie hits $1 billion, is No. It's Me, Margaret' Streaming on HBO Max or Netflix? Fundraiser, Zendaya Recalls First Date at 15 to See Spider-Man in 3D, Netflix Lands Adam McKay Movie Starring Robert Pattinson, Amy Adams, U.S. Digital Giants to Finance Local Content After Canada's Online Streaming Bill Becomes Law, Wes Anderson Directing Star Wars? 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". To do it by making a movie or his version of it, it just kind ends up making sense.. 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 eyeballing the building where the Downey family lived in the 70s. 'Firefly Lane' Ending Explained: Does Kate Malarkey Die? 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]. You should film that guy. 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. Rating: If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. 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. "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. 2,972, This story has been shared 2,617 times. All rights reserved. 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. Bring your cameras. 'Sr.' Is Robert Downey Jr.'s Heartbreakingly Sweet Documentary Tribute ), 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. Jr. seems poised to explore the subject, but by that point in 2020, Covid impedes father and son from meeting face to face. 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. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. 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. 4,590, This story has been shared 4,235 times. Downey Sr.s relationship with his son, Robert Downey Jr., is a prominent part of the story. Jada Pinkett Smiths 4-part documentary series returns with an intimate portrait of the cunning ruler. Starring:Robert Downey Sr., Robert Downey Jr. Watch all you want. 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. I knew of Robert Downey Sr. but I didnt really know him or his work that well, Smith said. 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. Remembers His Late Dad's Laughter in Emotional 'Sr.' Paul Thomas Anderson was inspired by them. 1,634, This story has been shared 1,370 times. 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We werent trying to make some tear-jerky thing. Watch "Sr." | Netflix Official Site 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. He was known for writing and directing his underground film Putney Swope, a satire on the New York Madison Avenue advertising world. 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. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. Sr. (now on Netflix) lets us see inside Robert Downey Jr.s home and a little bit of whats inside his heart. Ahead of its Netflix release,Sr.will next screen at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 10 and 11. Memorable Dialogue: TV producer Norman Lear describes working with Sr.: Time spent with him was perfectly, wonderfully, deliciously insane.. This is not a Disney+ thing going on here. 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.. Netflix, Production Co: Documentary, Original Language: 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'. He has Parkinsons, and well watch him physically deteriorate as the documentary goes on. "Sr." Review: Robert Downey Sr. Documentary Premieres at Telluride His second marriage, to actress-writer Laura Ernst, lasted until her death on January 27, 1994, from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dolby Digital, Best Upcoming Documentaries from the Fall Festivals. The film explores Downey Sr.s life and work, including his influential 1969 satirical comedy,Putney Swope. 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 . (Clearly still a director in his bones, the elder Downey also worked on a kind of shadow version of a bio-doc, bits of which are seen here. Pamela Anderson's New Memoir: Biggest Bombshells and Revelations, from Jack Nicholson to JFK Jr. Bryan Martin on How Writing Music After Misfiring a Gun Saved His Life: 'I've Lived Through It', Robert Downey Jr. Smith took him up on the idea. Susan [asked], What is this project? And I was like, I dont know, but we cant stop. It really could have gone to hell in a hand basket., Added Susan Downey: [Robert Downey Sr.] was already actively looking to be engaged and to have a project to be doing, so I think that helped. (Downey Sr. and Elsies second child, Allyson, is only fleetingly mentioned and shown. 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. Trending A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Is one powerful family to blame for the deaths of five people in the wilds of South Carolinas Lowcountry? December 3, 2022. The documentary also unpacks personal themes ranging from creativity and mortality to fatherhood and generational trauma. Literally, in the case of the poster for his breakthrough movie, the 1969 up-against-the-wall-Madison-Ave. satire Putney Swope. Netflix Buys Robert Downey Jr. Father Documentary 'Sr.' - The Hollywood Privacy Policy "It was just a wild era," said Downey Jr. "That whole world, it gets tied into creativity. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. A Netflix documentary about counterculture filmmaker Robert Downey Sr, directed by his much more famous actor son, Sr. charts the last three years of the life of "Bob Sr" before he dies of Parkinson's disease in 2021 at age eighty-five. 'Citadel' Episode Guide: When Do New Episodes Premiere on Prime Video? He moved into big-budget filmmaking with the surrealistic Greaser's Palace (1972). Pops will be there with us. Netflix Kicks Off Emmy Campaign Season with 'Wednesday' Stunt - The Team Downey, Sound Mix: Elon Musk and Bill Maher Warn Against the 'Woke Mind Virus,' a.k.a. Knowing what I know now, Smith said in a statement, its really the only way you could attempt to make something on the two Downeys. I don't blame anybody.' 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. 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. Downey Jr. produced the film alongside Susan Downey, Emily Barclay Ford and Kevin Ford. 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. Historical Fact Theres a lot of uncertainty and you have to make peace with that., Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. DC Comics' 'Sweet Tooth' Receives Netflix Adaptation: Watch the Trailer 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). The film explores Downey Sr.'s life and work, including his influential 1969 satirical comedy, Putney Swope. The superstar actor joined producer-wife Susan Downey for a conversation with THR's Scott Feinberg as part of inaugural festival LA3C that was attended by Tom Holland, Zendaya and Adrien Brody. Is The Nurse On Netflix Based On A True Story? Documentary Slow Learner 885 subscribers Subscribe 66 3.6K views 1 year ago "A Year in the Life of an American Park. Sr., now streaming on Netflix, was just named the years top documentary by the National Board of Review. JOIN NOW Robert Downey Jr., Alan Arkin, Paul Thomas Anderson, Norman Lear and Sean Hayes appear in this poignant documentary. 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. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing this? [7], On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 47 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. 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 . When Chris Smith a documentarian who had tackled everything from Method acting run . 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It turned into this like Gordian Knot because he became so obsessed with the project. Such is the heartbreak of impending loss. 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. Sr.s irrepressible love of moviemaking comes through in the film. Sr review - Robert Downey Jr paints an affectionate portrait of his Turns 58 as He Shares Video Celebrating His 'Blessings' and 'Sweet' Marriage. Coming Soon: 'Sr.,' a New Documentary About Robert Downey Sr. - Netflix The trailer of the film was released by Netflix on 14 November 2022. Occasionally, we see Sr. watching the footage hes shot and editing it with Fords help, giving the whole affair a hall-of-mirrors effect. Sr.: The Robert Downey Jr.-Produced Documentary Takes An Intimate Look We here about the effect that a bohemian lifestyle has on kids and what happens when one artists demons mirror anothers. 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. [6], "Sr." was released in selected theatres on November 18, 2022, before streaming on Netflix beginning December 2. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com. 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. The result, Netflix's Sr., became something neither of them could have ever. List of Movies and TV Shows", "Film director Robert Downey Sr dies at 85", "Robert Downey Sr. The Team Downey-produced film is an intimate portrait of art, fatherhood and healing generational trauma. Library Films, Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. 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. Three years ago, Robert Downey Jr. started filming a documentary about his father alongside director Chris Smith. 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.