IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
Follow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural come... Read allFollow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural comedy in the 1960s and 1970s.Follow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural comedy in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 8 nominations total
Paul Thomas Anderson
- Self
- (archive footage)
Allan Arbus
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Dick Cavett
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Patrick Dempsey
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Elsie Downey
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Antonio Fargas
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Allen Garfield
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
In "Sr.", Robert Downey Jr. And Chris Smith present a unique and personal approach to a bio-doc about Robert Downey Sr., the filmmaker and father of the famous actor. Shot in black-and-white, the film captures the intimacy and complexity of their relationship, as well as Downey Sr.'s artistic process. The inclusion of alternate versions of certain scenes and discussions about the framing of others adds to the documentary's focus on the art of filmmaking. Despite some potential areas for deeper exploration, the emotional access given to Smith by the subjects and the power of finality as Downey Sr. Faces his own death make for a moving and thought-provoking viewing experience.
Wow. I have to admit never seeing any of the movies featured but can identify many of the cast as movers and shakers in the industry. Testament to a man who made movies for the pure pleasure of movie making and challenging the perceptions of others. Family and friends contributing to a precis of a craftsman and a Son charting his final farewell to a Man who allowed him live his own life.
Many time I recognised parallels in the relationship between Father and Son and my own parent & myself (sudden death syndrome) and that last 'interview' where Jr 'knows' is touching as it is shared with Jr's Jr. I can only conclude that when Sr's mind went elsewhere it was back to the time when editing of his segment was in process.
At times poignant, mostly humorous, this end-time journey was something I would not usually watch but I am so glad I did, such creativity.
Many time I recognised parallels in the relationship between Father and Son and my own parent & myself (sudden death syndrome) and that last 'interview' where Jr 'knows' is touching as it is shared with Jr's Jr. I can only conclude that when Sr's mind went elsewhere it was back to the time when editing of his segment was in process.
At times poignant, mostly humorous, this end-time journey was something I would not usually watch but I am so glad I did, such creativity.
10traviiii
Wonderful...so much history and tender, truly funny moments. Such a real and joyful father/son and filmmaker/student portrait. RDJ made a movie about Dad, who's making a movie also about Dad and his pretty ok kid. I laughed so much- what a quirky, fun Dad he must have been. A truly inspiring film about it never being too late to cherish the ones you love. See it and prepare to fall for these two. You won't regret it.
My review's too short, so...
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My review's too short, so...
Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxooxooxxoxooxoxxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo.
R. I. P. Robert Downey, Senior (1936-2021)
This documentary has good pacing, camerawork and interesting dialog.
Robert Downey, Senior was an original American indie filmmaker and director. From way back in the 1940's. He was a revolutionary. He was a genius.
The man has a fairly substantial portfolio. Both my wife and myself have been wondering for quite a while just when a documentary about Senior would be made. Here it is. Finally.
Senior the documentary gets us into the man's head. We see his strange take on life and how it influenced his creative processees. We see how any kind of feedback, whether positive or negative, was treated like water running off a duck's back.
This documentary has good pacing, camerawork and interesting dialog.
Robert Downey, Senior was an original American indie filmmaker and director. From way back in the 1940's. He was a revolutionary. He was a genius.
The man has a fairly substantial portfolio. Both my wife and myself have been wondering for quite a while just when a documentary about Senior would be made. Here it is. Finally.
Senior the documentary gets us into the man's head. We see his strange take on life and how it influenced his creative processees. We see how any kind of feedback, whether positive or negative, was treated like water running off a duck's back.
I came across this by accident, and am SO glad I did. An absolutely honest, touching and truly raw look at an unconventional father/son dynamic. A father and son, who, despite their seemingly dysfunctional and unhealthy relationship, possess a wholly unconditional love, affection and mutual respect for each other. A truly beautiful and touching love letter from a son to his father, "hero". Thank you so much for reminding us that our connections are what are truly important at the end of the day. I love how much Jr loves Sr. I have ALWAYS been a Jr fan, and this film has welcomed me into an honest relationship, with all of its ugliness.
Did you know
- TriviaIn a 2022 interview with The Upcoming, Chris Smith spoke about how the film approached the complex dynamic between Robert Downey Jr. and his father: "Very early on Robert's like, 'We're not making a rosy portrait of our relationship because it wasn't all roses', and he was very clear about that. But I think there was an undeniable connection and love between these two people. So I think that push and pull was what made the film interesting. There's a real universality in the relationship between parents and children that we all have and we all experience and I think that those are the things that I was excited about because you have two larger than life personalities, yet there was something very relatable and human about the movie that came together in the end."
- ConnectionsFeatures Balls Bluff (1961)
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- "Sr."
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 29 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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