"Sr."

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"Sr."
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that "Sr." is a documentary about Robert Downey Sr., his life, career, and relationship with his son, Robert Downey Jr. Over the course of 3 years, Downey Jr. spends time with his father while looking back on his film career. With old footage, home footage, and lots of clips from Sr.'s filmography, this docu shows Sr.'s impact and influence on modern film, who he was as a filmmaker and artist, and what growing up with him (as Jr.) was like. Some of Sr.'s films that are covered are a bit racy, including a film called "The Sweet Smell of Sex," wherein a clip shows a woman in underwear lying in bed with a monkey or chimpanzee. No sex or nudity, but the woman kisses the air close to the chimp's mouth. Or another of Sr.'s films, about a man falling in love with his mother, implies an incestuous relationship, even if it's meant to be funny. In terms of violence, old film footage shows a woman getting shot in the leg with an arrow and a boy having had his "neck slit by God" (not shown). A portion of the film does cover Sr.'s drug misuse (weed and cocaine) and a few shots show people snorting powder. Adults often are shown smoking cigarettes. Robert Downey Jr.'s struggles with drug addiction is also briefly covered. Strong language includes: "f--k," "f--ker," "f--king," "s--t," "balls," and "ass."
What's the Story?
In "SR."Robert Downey Jr.. takes an intimate and revealing look at his father's life, films, and career.
Is It Any Good?
At first, this deeply personal documentary feels a bit meandering or even self-aggrandizing. But "Sr." soon settles into a comfortable rhythm as it chronologically bounces along Robert Downey Sr.'s filmography, highlighting his quirky sense of humor, acidic wit, and eye for oddball scenes. All the while, Robert Downey Jr. begins to contemplate more seriously about his relationship with his father, what it was like growing up with an artist like him (constantly thinking about film, shooting, scenes, direction, and other filmic ideas). By the time the latter parts of Sr.'s filmography are covered, Sr.'s battle with Lou Gehrig's disease takes over. To the film's credit, by the end, some sense of poignancy is reached, if not directly, which feels better than if it were spelled out precisely. The touching sentiment left by Jr. says it all: "we're here, we do stuff, and we're gone."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about drugs, smoking, and alcohol in documentaries. How do you feel "Sr." portrays drug misuse? How does Robert Downey Jr. feel about the way he was raised as a child?
What do you think it would have been like growing up with a camera constantly pointed at you? Do you think that that would affect how you would see yourself? Why or why not?
As the film was made "with no agenda," what do you think the film ended up being about, in the end?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 18, 2022
- On DVD or streaming: December 2, 2022
- Cast: Robert Downey Sr., Robert Downey Jr., Elsie Ford, Paul Thomas Anderson
- Director: Chris Smith
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Documentary
- Topics: Friendship
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language and some drug use
- Last updated: December 8, 2022
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