120 mins.
Documentary, Biography
July 4, 2014

Rated R for brief sexual images/nudity and language. (MPAA)

“Life Itself” is a documentary about the life and times of film critic Roger Ebert (1942-2013). The title is borrowed from Ebert’s memoir, and it’s narrated by Ebert himself, at times: They must have used his audiobook narration or something similar to accomplish that. We also hear from him via the computerized voice that he used toward the end of his life. As with most documentaries, “Life Itself” features interviews with Ebert’s family, friends, and colleagues. It begins by showing him in a hospital in 2013. We know that he’s at the end of his life. Director Steve James comes back to this scene and similar scenes throughout the film. They anchor the film in the present and allow James to tell the story of cancer in both direct and indirect ways.

After the first hospital scene, this film provides a quick overview of Ebert’s life before he became a critic, including his response to the bombing of the church that killed the Four Little Girls, and describes how he became a critic and what his life was like as a critic and eventual family man. It explores his battle with drinking and AA membership, how he came to write the screenplay for “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,” his marriage at age 50 to Chaz Ebert, and his work as a critic, of course.

While this film is about Ebert, it also gives us a glimpse into his wife’s and Gene Siskel’s stories. Chaz Ebert recounts her story as a champion of black people, including black men, whom she thought had gotten a raw deal. As a result, she thinks that people who knew her at the time of her marriage to Roger were likely shocked by her choice of a husband. This film also recounts and shows how she champions her husband to this day. It’s a wise choice to include Ebert’s relationships with her daughter and grandchildren (his stepdaughter and step-grandchildren), as well. Gene Siskel is another major presence in the film and rightly so. His wife tells much of his story. We find out, surprisingly, that Siskel traveled with Hugh Hefner. Siskel’s wife says, “Even though Roger wrote ‘Beyond the Valley of the Dolls,’ I think Gene lived the life for a while.”

Much of this film is about “Siskel & Ebert” throughout its various iterations. The evolution of the relationship between Siskel and Ebert unfolds before our eyes, beginning with a contrast between the Chicago Sun-Times (Ebert’s employer), which has a mostly working-class and black readership, and the Chicago Tribune (Siskel’s employer), which appeals to a more upscale and white readership as evidenced by the incorporation of a piece of The Great Pyramid at Giza into its building’s facade. That contrast says a lot about the contrast between the two critics’ styles and points-of-view. They started out as sworn enemies and competitors, but their relationship evolved into a friendship, an unexpected and tumultuous one at that. We see their first broadcast together on PBS’ “Sneak Previews” and the evolution of that show and their other shows: from stiff to engaging; from being derided by Hollywood (Who are these guys? They’re not New York critics. They’re not Pauline Kael.) to being too important to ignore (New York and LA were the last two major cities in the country to begin airing their show). As Thea Flaum, the creator/executive producer of “Sneak Previews,” said, “The movie studios went from helping us to hating us to fearing us.”

In addition to the interviews, this documentary also contains the requisite mix of photos, film clips, and snippets of reviews and columns. James even includes his emails with Ebert about the film as it’s being made. One of Ebert’s emails stated, “It would be a major lapse to have a documentary that doesn’t contain the full reality. I wouldn’t want to be associated. This is not only your film.” James respected that wish.

“Life Itself” is really about thoughtfulness with passion. It taps into why we as individuals watch movies and how that relates to how we live and have lived. It reminds me of why Ebert is my favorite critic, the only one who I always wanted to understand even when I disagreed with him. This, like all successful documentaries and films in general, is a human story.

Verdict: Very Good

About: (Source: ebertmovie)

Acclaimed director Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters) and Executive Producers Martin Scorsese (The Departed, Raging Bull) and Steven Zaillian (Schindler’s List, Moneyball) present Life Itself, a documentary film that recounts the inspiring and entertaining life of world-renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert – a story that is by turns personal, wistful, funny, painful, and transcendent.

Based on his bestselling memoir of the same name, Life Itself, explores the impact and legacy of Roger Ebert’s life, from his Pulitzer Prize-winning film criticism at the Chicago Sun-Times to becoming one of the most influential cultural voices in America.

The filmmakers were granted unprecedented access to Roger and Chaz during the final four months of his life. In that time, they captured Roger’s fighting spirit, his sharp sense of humor, and the ways he directly inspired filmmakers, family and fans. The response to Roger’s unexpected passing in April 2013 was immense and profoundly moving – front page news not just in Chicago, but worldwide. Influential filmmakers and politicians reflected on Roger’s legacy – everyone from Spike Lee, and Michael Moore to President Obama, who said, “When he didn’t like a film, he was honest; when he did, he was effusive – capturing the unique power of the movies to take us some place magical.” Roger was an avid supporter of independent film, and an early champion of the work of iconic filmmakers, and Life Itself interview subjects, such as Werner Herzog, Errol Morris and Martin Scorsese.

Roger himself became an iconic force when he joined with Gene Siskel to create one of the longest running, most influential television shows in history, making Chicago the cultural center of film criticism. The film features candid and insightful interviews with many of the principal producers of the show, along with the first ever feature documentary interview with Siskel’s wife, Marlene.

In the wake of Roger’s illness and disability, Roger’s writing grew creatively and in importance – transcending film criticism. Using his blog, and social media, Roger became a must-read commentator, thoughtfully addressing the political and social issues of our time. His public defiance of cancer and the resulting disfigurement literally and symbolically put a new face on the disease, and brought inspiration to countless thousands in the disabled community and beyond.

Despite his “leave of presence,” his body of work stands as a great populist monument, accessible inspiration for the next generations of film lovers. Life Itself gives a definitive document of the flesh and blood man who forever changed what it meant to be at the movies: Roger Ebert.