In his review of WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? here at We Are Movie Geeks, Micheal Haffner claimed the film “… serves as both a deeply moving tribute to one of life’s greatest teachers but also as an important reminder of the power of kindness.” (read all of Michael’s review HERE)
The Hi-Pointe Theater, at 1005 McCausland Ave in St. Louis, is the best place to see the new doc about Mr. Rogers. Something about its city locale, its nostalgia factor, its retro interior, and the fact that they sell wine by the bottle make me think that Fred Rogers himself would be happy to know that WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? is currently playing there. It’s been showing at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Theater (a fine venue) for the past week but The Hi-Pointe is the place to be!
Hi-Pointe showtimes for WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?:
“You know everyone has lots of ways of feeling, and all those ways of feeling are fine. It’s what we do with our feelings that matter in this life.”
I wanted to open with a quote from Mr. Rogers because there is nothing that I can say or write that can impart the amount of love and humanity he shared with the world. Director Morgan Neville (who won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary for 20 FEET FROM STARDOM) also understands that. Instead of overloading the film with talking heads and celebrities singing the praises of Fred Rogers, Neville relies heavily on archival footage from each of those special episodes. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? serves as both a deeply moving tribute to one of life’s greatest teachers but also as an important reminder of the power of kindness.
Fred Rogers was a man of faith. He studied to be a minister but saw an opportunity to touch the lives of children through a tool that wasn’t being used to build the emotional intelligence of a child: TV. At a time when television was used to entertain children, Fred Rogers saw an opportunity to inform. The film traces back to his beginnings starting the show in 1968 on a local channel in Pittsburgh. After a few seasons, the show moved to PBS where it quickly found an audience who welcomed Mr. Rogers into their homes.
Right from the very first episode, the show tackled such themes as fear and isolation. King Friday, the ruler of “The Land of Make Believe” wanted to build a taller fence around his kingdom to prevent outsiders from coming in (the irony of this was not lost on the audience I saw it with). And as the show’s producer claims, “And this was just the first episode.” WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? hammers home just how unafraid Mr. Rogers was at addressing the fears of children as well as explaining the circumstances of real-world events, such as the assassination of Robert Kennedy.
The film focuses heavily on his approach to how he taught children. Even though he was religious, he didn’t preach about God or about scripture. He didn’t tell children what was was bad or what they should avoid. His message was one of love, and he approached it in a way that both children and adults could relate to. He understood the importance of emotional development. His unique ability to connect with children is discussed in charming interviews with his wife and some of the crew that worked with him on set, but it’s clearly evident in the footage from the show. What made his show unique might have been the quaint low-budget aesthetic or the fact that he embraced such imaginative tools as a magical projector called “Picture Picture,” as well as a world of puppets and humans called “The Land of Make Believe.” Yet, what made Mr. Rogers special was his earnest dialogue. He was willing to be vulnerable so that children would feel comfortable being vulnerable too.
One of the most moving stories in a film that is filled with dozens of tear-jerking sequences involves discussing an episode featuring a young boy named Jeff. Jeff was 10 when he appeared on the show. He was a quadriplegic who used an electric wheelchair to get around. As the film goes on to emphasize, it was this simple gesture of showing a boy with a disability that made a huge impact on television. Mr. Roger’s didn’t hide the circumstances of Jeff’s life. He asked about the wheelchair and how long he had been using it. In the process, he showed kids that it’s ok to talk about the hardships of life and what makes each of us unique. It’s a treasured moment in TV history that taught kids about acceptance without trying to tie it into a “message.” And all he did was simply hold a conversation with another human.
As with anything that sounds too good to be true, director Morgan Neville addresses some of the complaints and doubts some people had about Mr. Rogers. A small amount of time is focused on discussing “the entitled Mr. Rogers generation” that he supposedly helped foster. Thankfully, the film doesn’t focus on the negativity too much. And although I’d be remiss to heed my own advice, Neville does include a handful of saccharine animated sequences involving “Daniel Tiger” to illustrate the turmoil within Fred Rogers. Given how straightforward the host approached deep thoughts, these sequences seem like a misstep taken from a modern day approach to learning.
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? could have been comprised of 3-5 hours of heart-melting moments and inspiring lessons of truth. Mr. Rogers taught us it was ok to ask questions. He reminded us that we’re each different. Most importantly, he showed us that it’s ok to have emotions, to cry at the death of a pet or if our parents are getting a divorce, and to feel insecure in life. In turn, watching the film reminds us that it’s okay to sit in a theater full of people you don’t know and feel vulnerable; that we can connect over our shared love of a teacher who taught us we’re all unique but connected by the same emotions; that it’s okay to share these emotions with the world. The impact Mr. Rogers had on all of us can’t be measured or read about in a book, but it can be seen on the faces of your neighbors walking out of the theater.
Overall score: 4 out of 5
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? opens at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac Cinema in St. Louis on June 15th before getting a wider release on June 22nd
Life Magazine shoot: WQED studio. Fred Rogers and David Newell, as Speedy Delivery’s Mr. McFeely, stand on the front porch set while filming an episode of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
“WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? serves as both a deeply moving tribute to one of life’s greatest teachers but also as an important reminder of the power of kindness.” Michael Haffner praised the upcoming documentary in his recent TRUE/FALSE Film Fest review. Mister Rogers was truly a light in the world and would have celebrated his 90th birthday this week. Focus Features has released a brand new trailer.
From Academy Award® -winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom), Won’t You Be My Neighbor? takes an intimate look at America’s favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this emotional and moving film takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.
Focus Features will release WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? in select theaters on June 8th, 2018.
Visit the official site: http://focusfeatures.com/wont-you-be-my-neighbor/
“You know everyone has lots of ways of feeling, and all those ways of feeling are fine. It’s what we do with our feelings that matter in this life.”
I wanted to open with a quote from Mr. Rogers because there is nothing that I can say or write that can impart the amount of love and humanity he shared with the world. Director Morgan Neville (who won the 2014 Academy Award for Best Documentary for 20 FEET FROM STARDOM) also understands that. Instead of overloading the film with talking heads and celebrities singing the praises of Fred Rogers, Neville relies heavily on archival footage from each of those special episodes. WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? serves as both a deeply moving tribute to one of life’s greatest teachers but also as an important reminder of the power of kindness.
Fred Rogers was a man of the faith. He studied to be a minister but saw an opportunity to touch the lives of children through a tool that wasn’t be used to build the emotional intelligence of a child: TV. At a time when television was used to entertain children, Fred Rogers saw an opportunity to inform. The film traces back to his beginnings starting the show in 1968 on a local channel in Pittsburgh. After a few seasons, the show moved to PBS where it quickly found an audience who welcomed Mr. Rogers into their home.
Right from the very first episode, the show tackled such themes as fear and isolation. King Friday, the ruler of the “Land of Make Believe” wanted to build a taller fence around his kingdom to prevent outsiders from coming in (the irony of this was not lost on the audience I saw it with). And as the show’s producer claims, “And this was just the first episode.” WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? hammers home just how unafraid Mr. Rogers was at addressing the fears of children as well as explaining the circumstances of real-world events like the assassination of Robert Kennedy.
The film focuses heavily on his approach to how he taught children. Even though he was religious, he didn’t preach about God or about scripture. He didn’t them what was was bad or what they should avoid. His message was one of love, and he approached it in a way that both children and adults can relate to. He understood the importance of emotional development. His unique ability to connect with children is discussed in charming interviews with his wife and some of the crew that worked with him on set, but it’s clearly evident in the footage from the show. What made his show unique might have been the quaint low-budget aesthetic or the fact that he embraced such imaginative tools as a magical projector called “Picture Picture” and a world of puppets and humans called “The Land of Make Believe.” Yet, what made Mr. Rogers special was his earnest dialogue. He was willing to be vulnerable so that children would feel comfortable being vulnerable too.
One of the most moving stories in a film that is filled with dozens of tear-jerking sequences involves the time a young boy named Jeff. Jeff was 10 when he appeared on the show. He was a quadriplegic who used an electric wheelchair to get around. As the film goes on to emphasize, it was this simple gesture of showing a boy with a disability that made a huge impact on television. Mr. Roger’s didn’t hide the circumstances of Jeff’s life. He asked about the wheelchair and how long he had been using it. In the process, he showed kids that it’s ok to talk about the hardships of life and what makes each of us unique. It’s a treasured moment in TV history that taught kids about acceptance without trying to tie it into a “message.” And all he did was simply hold a conversation with another human.
As with anything that sounds too good to be true, director Morgan Neville addresses some of the complaints and doubts some people had about Mr. Rogers. A small amount of time is focused on discussing “the entitled Mr. Rogers generation” that he supposedly helped foster. Thankfully, the film doesn’t focus on the negativity too much. And although I’d be remiss to heed my own advice, Neville does include a handful of saccharine animated sequences involving “Daniel Tiger” to illustrate the turmoil within Fred Rogers behind the scenes. Given how straightforward the host approached deep thoughts, the sequences seem like a misstep taken from a modern day approach to learning.
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? could have been comprised of 3-5 hours worth of heart-melting moments and inspiring lessons of truth. Mr. Rogers taught us it was ok to ask questions. He reminded us that we’re each different. Most importantly, he showed us that it’s ok to have emotions, to cry at the death of a pet or if our parents are getting a divorce, and to feel insecure in life. In turn, watching this film reminds us that it’s okay to sit in a room full of strangers that you don’t know and feel vulnerable; that we can connect over our shared love of a teacher who taught us we’re all unique but connected by the same emotions; that it’s okay to share those emotions with the world. The impact Mr. Rogers had on all of us can’t be measured or read about in a book, but can be seen on the faces of your neighbors walking out of the theater.
Overall score: 4 out of 5
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? is being released by Focus Features later this year
Fred Rogers on the set of his show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood from the film, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR, a Focus Features release. Credit: Jim Judkis / Focus Features
Kids growing up in the 1970’s only knew Saturday morning cartoons, as well as educational TV on the local PBS station. We were introduced to Sesame Street, Electric Company, ZOOM and the magic of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. It’s where we learned how to use our imaginations and to tie our sneakers with Mister Rogers, the cool trolley that ran behind him (we all wanted one) and the land of Make-Believe.
From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom), WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? takes an intimate look at America’s favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers.
From Focus Features, watch the first clip.
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? will have its World Premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this emotional and moving film takes us beyond the zip-up cardigans and the land of make-believe, and into the heart of a creative genius who inspired generations of children with compassion and limitless imagination.
Focus Features will release WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? in theaters June 8, 2018.
Fred Rogers with Daniel Tiger from his show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood in the film, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR, a Focus Features release. Credit: Focus Features
