Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Review

PG-13: Some thematic elements and languageFocus Features, Tremolo ProductionsDir:  Morgan Neville1 Hr and 34 MinutesCast: Fred Rogers, François Scarborough Clemmons, Yo-Yo Ma, Joe Negri, David NewellI’ve never reviewed a documentary film before, but Fred Rogers holds a special place in my heart. I was born around the time when his life was drawing close to an end. That said, “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” was on reruns for years and years until I eventually turned, I think, 10. I never had cable so the majority of my childhood viewing involved nothing but PBS Kids shows such as “Mr. Rogers”. One of the biggest heartbreaks of my childhood wasn’t Fred Rogers’ death, but of how I learned that he passed. There was this PBS Kids kids’ day somewhere in New York around 2004. I think it was South Street Seaport, but I could be wrong. My mom took my sister and I to it where they celebrated several shows from “Clifford” to “Cyberchase” to “Big Comfy Couch” and “Mister Rogers Neighborhood”. When the “Mister Rogers” part came around, they brought out  Mr. McFeely. When I asked my mom, “Hey, where’s Mr. Rogers,” she just bluntly said, “Oh, he’s dead.”Tell that shit to a six-year-old and he’ll lose his mind. Of course, I lost my shit.
Just going to throw this out there: This movie is my closure. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” is my personal closure to the truth bomb my mom told me at the wrong place at the wrong time.
From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville ("20 Feet from Stardom"), "Won’t You Be My Neighbor?" takes an intimate look at America’s favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this emotional and moving film takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.THE GOODIf you think that Fred Rogers was just a friendly face for kids, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” displays that his impact wasn’t just on children in America, but was universal where his impact single-handedly saved PBS. This film isn’t just for fans who grew up watching “Mr. Rogers”, but an in-depth study on a man who just wanted to make people smile in which director Morgan Neville accomplishes magnificently. Also, it is a brilliant documentary for parents to educate their children on the show that they grew up with. Though some of the content on the Mister Rogers show is dated, his approach to these topics that dealt through kindness is timeless. Though you would think way too many good things about Fred Rogers were true, the film shows through archive footage that Fred Rogers might’ve been the kindest man who has ever graced his presence on TV.  
You had people who worked on his shows, from cast and crew and family members who knew this man. The film covers every single aspect of Fred’s fame, from his career to his impact, and the backlash of his work. They cover how disappointed Rogers was when TV for kids was changing and flashy cartoons displaying violence debuted. Shoot, they cover his reception of parody sketches of Mr. Rogers such as the infamous “Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood” from Saturday Night Live.One of the strongest aspects of this documentary is the incorporation of Daniel Tiger. Anyone who has watched “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” knows Daniel Tiger was a puppet that was used as a means of discussing real life topics of that parents understand, but their kids didn’t. Daniel Tiger was a communicator for families so kids can get a sense of what real things were going on in the world. There are beautiful animated sequences of Daniel Tiger doing various things as Fred narrates his personal experience which transitions one segment of Fred’s story to the next.
Of course, this movie doesn’t just glorify Rogers, but also grasps the darker side. By darker side I don’t mean any bad behavior he had in the media as you see with the TV personalities of that time [or even today] but, instead, the inner conflict the man expressed during his show and never got to express as a child. During filming of the program, Rogers improvised through Daniel Tiger his fears of self-doubt and to his loneliness. Instead of his actors being freaked out or confused, they approached the issue with the same tenderness and kindness that Rogers would do himself. Elements like that just warms the heart. You see Rogers’ external struggle to keep up with the times as the world kept shifting, for he attempted to make nothing but new content where he discussed relevant topics during each major event that was going on in America.With the price of fame, the movie boldly expresses that a man’s figure is perceived by different reception people had of you. Rogers showed no signs of masculinity because he had a heart of Gold. But during the late 20th century people thought he was a homosexual. There was clear proof that he wasn’t, for he had a loving wife and son. Today, men like Rogers would be accepted without the circulating thought of his sexuality that defines what a man “should be”. Overall, this film is a well-crafted observation of a man with fame and status doing something good with it. In an age where you see people displaying their monstrous side, such as Bill Cosby and Roseanne Barr, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” expresses that there were TV personalities that are good-natured.THE RENDY
This may be a documentary distributed by a major studio that specializes in indie features, but I want this to be aired on PBS to coincide with the DVD release or premiere the next year. Not only does it feel right to do so, but it's also the right thing to do given all his contributions and impact on the network.One may exaggerate by saying that if you don’t like, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” or Fred Rogers himself, you’re most likely an asshole. That said, if this man or this movie doesn’t put a smile on your face, you are most likely a heartless bastard and you need to get yourself checked. LAST STATEMENT“Won’t You Be My Neighbor” is a passionately heartfelt doc that doesn’t only celebrate the life of a kind man, but proves that there are kind people in the neighborhood and men like Fred Rogers are the men that are needed, especially in today’s insane climate.Rating: 4.5/5 | 93%uper Scene: Fred Roger's Speech