Common Sense Media Review
By Joly Herman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Spirited but lopsided look at the director of MCU film.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Director by Night
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
DIRECTOR BY NIGHT begins in the basement of a New Jersey home, where documentary filmmaker Anthony Giacchino is tracking down evidence of the movie-making origins of his brother, composer and director Michael Giacchino. Cassette tapes documenting the Giacchino family's lives in the 1980s are uncovered, as are video tapes from the era. Among the detritus of a creative life are a trove Super 8 movie projects that the brothers made when they were in high school and college. Now Michael is jumping into feature filmmaking after finding success as an award-winning composer of movie scores. Will his childhood dream of making movies manifest in a thrilling addition to the Marvel cinematic universe? Or will he be remembered for his music instead?
Is It Any Good?
The evolution of a filmmaker's career trajectory is examined through the lens of his documentarian brother in this sentimental look at a director's life. Golden memories don't always make for compelling viewing in Director by Night, however. The documentary gets pulled too close to the personal when the chums who starred in the 1980s Super 8 movies reunite. What could have been a soaring tribute to life-before-mobile-phones gets weighted down by a site-specific reunion of old friends. Sure, they had incredibly creative times in their teens, but are viewers fascinated by their stories?
Hardcore MCU fans can enjoy the behind-the-scenes peeks into monster costumes and movie production. Parents might score an analog thrill watching Super 8 movies that teens crafted into features back in the day, but this documentary ultimately lacks an objective eye.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of teamwork in Director by Night. How crucial is teamwork to the people working on a huge Marvel movie?
The subject and his brother rounded up friends and made movies in the 1980s. How does this documentary highlight the importance of perseverance?
The subject of the documentary says he thinks that "monsters don't come from nowhere, they come from people." Do think this is true?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 4, 2022
- Cast : Michael Giacchino , Anthony Giacchino
- Network : Disney+
- Genre : Educational
- Topics : Superheroes , Book Characters , Fantasy
- Character Strengths : Communication , Perseverance , Teamwork
- TV rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate