I quite like Chris Farley but I haven't seen enough of him to call myself a fan. From clips and bit parts, I've gathered what he's about, but it's a shame he's not starred in a more tempting film to watch him go full throttle. Nevertheless, his death is still a moving tragedy of a talented comic's life cut short. I Am Chris Farley is a passionate tribute to him that struggles to get passed its mourning, but with fair reason. Outside of clips of Farley making humorous but contextless noises, the documentary is never funny, but it doesn't have to be and it's moving where it counts. Generally taking the film in chronological order, it frames the film about a David Letterman interview that feels inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, but perhaps they didn't have the biggest wealth of material to delve into. The doc's biggest strengths naturally come from Farley's Saturday Night Live heyday which are a pleasure to watch. Despite the film's shortcomings, it's most interesting in the idea that someone as beloved and chaotic as Chris Farley would still concern himself over his craft being perfect and the film is most poignant when it acknowledges that anything less than perfection is still worthy. I Am Chris Farley is far from perfect but certainly worth the watch for anyone with at least a casual interest in the man.
7/10
