Thoroughly enjoyed this. Inspired me to read their books, which I found just as funny, articulate and thought-provoking.
Love how the film had them recite their own passages like spoken word poetry. Brilliant way to convey the music and magic domiciled in their writing.
That they covered (and were often present for) so many seismic events is remarkable. From the assassinations of Malcolm X, JFK and RFK, to the Vietnam war and the Son of Sam (who corresponded directly with Jimmy), to the subway vigilante, AIDS epidemic, Central Park 5, 9/11... the list goes on and on. Forget about being journalists or reporters; these two were bona fide historians.
I just thought the film captured their essence very well. As if that weren't enough, there are a plethora of celeb insights on their work to hold your attention, including from Jackie O, Shirley MacLaine, Colin Quinn, Spike Lee, Bob Costas, Robert De Niro, etc. You really can't overstate Pete Hamill and Jimmy Breslin's impact on life on New York, and on the craft of journalism more broadly. I'm glad this doc was made and I think you'll enjoy it too.
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"Hamill would give you the poetry of New York. He had sweep and majesty. It was like walking into a French novel."
"He knew about worlds I didn't know about, and made me feel like I understood them." Hamill on Breslin
(What was it like to be on Nixon's enemies list?) "Oh it was an honor! There were a lot of good people on that list." - Hamill
"I realized early that bad news was great, even if it involved me. I protected myself by writing about it." - Breslin.
