The Amazing Johnathan Documentary

I watched this movie this past weekend at the Boston Independent Film Festival. The entire theater full of people received it so well. The energy in the theater was palpable and you could tell everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a PERFECT mix of mystery, comedy, poignancy, and wonderful story-telling. Ben Berman absolutely nailed this film given his many obstacles and dilemmas while filming. It was funny, entertaining, interesting, and just an overall wonderful watch. I'm giving it a 10 out of 10. There is nothing that could have been done any better.

Bravo, Ben!! I tried to find your email address to write you a direct message, but this is the best I could do. Amazing job at your FIRST EVER FEATURE FILM! You nailed it.

What do you do when you're making a documentary and someone with more funding comes in and scoops your subject? You put them on blast and share the surreal experience of being boned for the world to see. The first documentary (actually the 4th to begin...WTF?!?) is straightforward and not really special, showing Johnathan's career, friendships, and struggles with his fatal diagnosis that he has outlived. This documentary starts with the same motives and then has to find a way to coexist, knowing that it can no longer maintain its original intent. Much like a documentary should, it captures real life, though at times is forcing itself along through prompting. There's a point toward the end where the story of disaster takes a hard turn that's a bit cringeworthy as the director himself admits, he made lots of mistakes in this effort. Not the horrible piece of trash that the rest of these reviewers are making it out to be.

Spoiler Alert: This is not a documentary about the Amazing Jonathan, this is a movie about a film maker's attempt to make a documentary about the Amazing Johnathan. People are giving this movie low reviews because it feels like a bait and switch when halfway through the film the focus changes from what we assume are the Amazing Jonathan last days to the director's Ben Berman's plight as a documentary maker. If you go into the film with the understanding that this is not a film about the Amazing Jonathan, you will enjoy the film much much more. The producers would have done a much better job if they had just named it Not The Amazing Johnathan Documentary.

This documentary is a trick. A complicated truck with plot twists around every corner. Watch with an open mind and prepare to be entertained.

Not a fan of when documentarians turn the camera on themselves and that happened about 30 minutes in. Started off strong, but it just slowly fizzles out over the last hour.

There was a great story to be told here, but unfortunately this doc missed the mark.