A poignant ode to a wild and eccentric filmmaker
Sr. is a film about a filmmaker who never compromised on his vision, and how the land of broken dreams can be a place of happiness. We follow Sr as he travels throughout L.A., taking in all the sights and sounds that make the city so unique. Along the way, we learn about Sr’s eccentric filmmaker friend, who always pushed boundaries and had an unyielding belief in his work.
Sr is a film about filmmaking, shot in black and white to evoke the experimental days of Hollywood. It’s uncompromising in its vision to portray Robert Downey Sr through the eyes of his son and third generation, Exxon. ..
The film starts off with a quirky and humorous tone, but by the end it becomes a much more poignant and striking movie about a father and his son. There are some genuinely moving moments, and none more so than seeing Sr. bedbound toward the end. ..
The film begins with Sr.’s life, focusing primarily on his work as a screenwriter and director. It is ironic that Downey Jr., who grew up with his father making indie movies, has become one of Hollywood’s biggest movie stars.
The film is incredibly open with the entire family and there’s a lovely spontaneity and unpredictability here that mirrors some of Sr’s movies. The kaleidoscope of emotion that you’ll go through watching this is partly why it works so well and Sr. does a fantastic job of reminding us just how powerful film can be as a medium.
Sr. is a documentary about the healing process and the creative process. It is well written and has a strong thematic focus.
