Joey Magidson
Christopher Reeve didn’t just play a hero in the Superman films. He also turned out to be a real-life hero, inspiring hope in countless others after the actor became paralyzed in a horse-riding accident. We’ve all known this for years, but it took the new documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story to remind me just how powerful his story is. The movie managed to bring me to tears on several occasions and is among the best works of the year, fiction or non-fiction.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is emotional and inspirational in equal measure, but it never resorts to manipulation. Reeve’s own words, as well as the testaments of those who knew him, they provide all of the power you need. That the filmmakers are able to weave such a memorable doc out of a well-known tale is proof of the deft hand they possess.
The documentary looks at the rise of Christopher Reeve, as well as the aftermath of his tragic accident. From coming up in the acting ranks with close friend Robin Williams to landing Superman, there’s a clear portrait of how this talented actor had the world as his oyster. Then, in 1995 he’s paralyzed from the neck down in an instant. For some, that would be the end of their story. For Reeve, it’s where he began to do his most important work.
After a period of despondence, Reeve becomes determined to walk again. To that end, along with his wife Dana Reeve, he becomes a tireless advocate for spinal cord research, particularly involving stem cells. As his friends and family elaborate, he became an inspiration, right up until his untimely death at 52. There’s so much to marvel at here, but be warned…you will cry.
Directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui know they have a tearjerker on their hands, so they never push any of the buttons too firmly. His children talking about his death or the last time they saw him walk, that’s enough. The final section of the film is where the real waterworks are, but Glenn Close has a devastating moment where she says she believes if Reeve was still alive, so too would Robin Williams. A lesser work would feel manipulative, but Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is far from that. It earns every bit of emotion.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story will make you believe that a man can cry, and that man is me. One of the best documentaries of the year and one of 2024’s finest films, you should make it your business to see this doc. The movie will be playing on September 25th in honor of Reeve’s birthday, so don’t you dare miss it.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
Ever since his near fatL fall I worshipped this man from afar. His abc special celebration of hope December 1997 was inspirational. He isartificially resurrected and will never die so long as Google and YouTube exist. How long that will be GOD only knows.2024/9/23AD
I had the privilege of seeing this masterpiece last night and I completely concur – do not leave the house without a box of tissue. His story, from start to finish, reinforces just what a hero, especially in real life, Christopher Reeve was.
Definitely a tearjerker.