Joey Magidson
This was one of the most unique viewing experiences I’ve had in a long time. For those who don’t know, over the past decade and change, I’ve developed a casual friendship with Bruce Dern. We’ll speak on the phone once or twice a year (most years), talking as much about baseball as movies. He loves to tell stories, too, so while watching the documentary Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern, nearly every tale told by the legend is one I’ve heard straight from the horse’s mouth. While that takes away some of the surprises, it’s an absolute delight to know that these are now captured for the world to experience. Playing at the 29th SCAD Savannah Film Festival, this doc is a wonderful tribute to a legend who deserves this moment in the sun as much as anybody.
Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern looks at one the most underrated acting legends of his era and posits the case that he deserves as much acclaim as any of his more feted contemporaries. It does this often by allowing those contemporaries, as well as a host of others, to say so themselves. Also guiding us through his career is Dern, full of recollections, stories, and the personality that has made him one of one for so long.
The documentary focuses on the career and life of Bruce Dern, with Dern himself narrating the tale. We see his early days, born into privilege, rejecting that in order to move to New York in the pursuit of acting, and the struggles to break through that followed. The leaner years led to a fearlessness that grew into an appreciation held by the giants of his craft. Dern was directed by the likes of Hal Ashby and Alfred Hitchcock, stood tow to toe with Bette Davis and John Wayne, become friends with Jack Nicholson due to a mutual admiration, and then, he finally started to get his due. Another leaner time would lead to his second renaisance, the most acclaim of his career, and a floodgate of jobs, as everyone grew to appreciate Dern, as well as his famous improvisations, known as, yes…a dernsie.
Through it all is the metaphor of running, as Dern has been a lifelong marathon runner. The lessons the sport taught him served him well in acting, with the two identities truly forming into one giant man. While the industry tried to define him as one thing, forcing him to break out of that box, age tried to limit his ability to run. In true Dern fashion, he proved not to underestimate him in that regard, either.
Bruce Dern is the secret weapon for this film, both the actor as well as the person. Having such a diverse career, with so many credits to pull from, the movie is able to have something for any occasion. Then, Dern himself holds court throughout, addressing the audience in the same manner he would anyone else. It’s truly a joy to witness. Then, there’s the talking heads, who love him perhaps even more than I do. No one speaks more warmly about him than his daughter, Laura Dern, but also on hand are Joe Dante, Will Forte, Walter Hill, Patty Jenkins, Alexander Payne, Quentin Tarantino, Billy Bob Thornton, and Walton Goggins, just to name a few.
Director Mike Mendez (working with writer Ben Epstein) is at his best just allowing Dern to cook. There’s a lot of disparate styles at play here, as occasionally Mendez opts for animation in telling Dern’s tale, and not all are fully successful. Still, the sense of daring is in keeping with his subject. When Mendez just lets one of Dern’s stories evolve naturally, though, that’s where the magic happens within Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern. As far as biographical documentaries go, this is one of the more fruitful veins to be tapping into. That Dern is not just alive to see it, but game to participate, is simply icing on the cake.
Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern was an emotional experience for me. SCAD Savannah Film Festival audiences certainly will appreciate it as a look into the life of a legend. For me? It felt like sharing a legend with the masses, and I’m sure that’s how everyone involved in the film, Dern’s life, and Dern himself felt. In that regard, the movie is an indisputable success.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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