Won't You Be My Neighbor?

2018 documentary

Rating: 16/20 (Jen: 17/20)

Plot: The career of Fred Rogers, friend of puppets and children.

This movie not only dares you to be a little more like Mr. Rogers but also dares you to look for the Mr. Rogerses who have been in your life and be a little more like them, too. I can't think of a subject for a documentary that could be more timely. I'm sure that if I had been an adult during the years Mr. Rogers' shows originally aired, I'd see that the world was a terrible place then, too, but it just feels like the world we're living in now needs a lot more of Fred Rogers.

This has a treasure trove of archival footage and mixes those with interviews with Rogers' family, friends, and people who work with him. There aren't revelations here if you grew up--and probably became a better human being--watching his show. He was seemingly the exact same way off camera as we're used to seeing on our television screens. And I have to say that there's something extraordinarily comforting about that.

Now the puppet sex scandal? That one was a bit of a surprise.

You could get away with saying Fred Rogers was a talented man. He voiced all of those puppets, something that my wife was surprised to find out I didn't know. He composed all the music for the show. He knew how to interview another person. But I don't think he was talented enough in any of those areas to deserve a documentary. No, it's his compassion, his wisdom, his empathy, his understanding, his subversiveness (yes, subversiveness), his courage, and his love that makes him special. There's a contrast described in the documentary between how cheap and shoddy the production of his show was and just how radical the man was. He took on war, racism, divorce, shuttle disasters, assassination, and a host of other difficult subjects, and, in case you need to be reminded, it was all for an audience of children.

There are loads of highlights. I loved watching him at work behind the scenes with his crew. Watching him try and fail at using a pogo stick or breakdancing was a lot of fun. Watching some bloopers where the crew would switch shoes with him, seeing him interact with a few special guests, hearing from some of his guests like Yo-Yo Ma, seeing footage of him interacting with Koko the Gorilla. I loved the footage where he convinces a surly senator to fund public broadcasting. You just see that senator melting as Rogers talks to him. I also loved this footage of an interview on Tom Snyder's show with a similar melting outcome. Also touching were the details of the relationship between Rogers and Francois Scarborough Clemmons who played Officer Clemmons. A scene with a kiddie pool floored me, the perfect example of just how revolutionary Mr. Rogers could be. And watching him struggle with a PSA later in his life? It was heartbreaking.

My favorite bit was when they talked about how time was used on the show. I laughed out loud during a description of how Mr. Rogers taught children how long a minute was by doing nothing at all on screen for 60 seconds. Kids couldn't tolerate that today!

There are a few little surprises that might make you laugh, and there are a whole lot of moments that might cause you to tear up. You'll tear up because of how special and improbable this particular celebrity was, and you'll tear up that there's such a void left in his absence. This is the type of documentary capable of putting a smile on even the most cynical individual's face. Mr. Rogers might already be one of your favorite people. You might have grown up with him or had your life shaped by him, but I can almost guarantee that your appreciation of the guy will grow with this documentary.

Also--you will see a grown man's ass while watching this movie. And no, you perverts, it's not King Friday XIII's.