Be Water

There is something about Bruce Lee that fascinates me . A combination of his looks , his screen presence and of course his martial arts has always interested me without being a massive martial arts fan myself. The man crossed boundaries and brought his art into the mainstream and this film highlights that.

Rejected by Hollywood, Bruce Lee returned to Hong Kong to complete four films. Charting his struggles in two worlds, Be Water explores questions of identity and representation through rare archive, intimate interviews, and his writings.

This isn't a fanboy film . Far from it . This is about how he was brought up in San Francisco and then moved back to Hong Kong and the way he didn't really fit in either place back in 60's . It's not a film about his films although the most influential are mentioned .

I learned a lot . I never knew he was a child actor in movies . I never new he was in The Green Hornet TV series in the U.S and most poignantly i never knew he died before Enter The Dragon was released.

I now know more about the great Bruce Lee because of Be Water and that has to be a good thing .

Starts as a straightforward Bruce Lee documentary, pivots into being more broadly about Asian representation (and lack thereof) in Hollywood during its early years, and then shifts back into being more a Bruce Lee focused documentary in its final third.

All the content is compelling and interesting- it's really only the somewhat awkward shifting between these two main subjects that holding it back from being more than simply quite good.

But would still recommend as a solid documentary, even if you're like me and already thought you knew quite a lot about Bruce Lee- there was so much here that I didn't know, or hadn't really thought about before, a decent range of archive footage and old interviews to back that info up (an approach similar to another 2020 documentary I watched recently, also about an actor who passed away young: Belushi).

The 2020 documentary "Be Water" delves into the life and philosophy of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, exploring his journey from a young boy in Hong Kong to a global icon who revolutionized cinema and martial arts.

The film highlights Lee's unwavering pursuit of self-improvement, his constant questioning of traditional martial arts, and his development of Jeet Kune Do, a philosophy of self-expression and adaptability. Through archival footage, interviews with family members, and insights from experts, "Be Water" paints a portrait of Lee as a complex individual who challenged societal norms and embraced constant evolution.

The documentary emphasizes Lee's philosophy of "be water," a concept drawn from Taoism that emphasizes formlessness, adaptability, and the ability to flow with change. This philosophy resonated with Lee's martial arts approach, where he sought to overcome opponents not through brute force, but through fluidity, speed, and understanding of their movements.

"Be Water" also explores Lee's struggles with racism and discrimination in Hollywood, where he faced limitations and stereotypes. Despite these challenges, Lee persevered, using his platform to advocate for diversity and representation.

The film serves as a reminder of Lee's enduring legacy as an artist, philosopher, and cultural icon. His philosophy of "be water" continues to inspire individuals across various fields, encouraging them to embrace change, break free from limitations, and express themselves authentically.

Bruce Lee was a very interesting man. Stood on principles when it would have been easier to fold under the stereotypes of Hollywood at that time.

The inspirational value of Bruce Lee is best expressed by his response to the question of whether he thought of himself as Chinese or American. "You know what I want to think of myself," he said, "as a human being." Bruce Lee was a man who spent his entire life building bridges; between styles of martial arts, between cultures at odds with one another, and between inner and external philosophies. He felt that true strength comes from within, and that by recognizing that strength, as well as all the flaws that coexist alongside it, one can achieve greatness despite all odds. Bruce Lee is a hero worth idolizing because he did not see himself as one. He did not view himself as a star, or a saint. He was true to himself, accepting the good with the bad. He was confident, but not conceited, wise, but not condescending. He was a man who fought for all he achieved, and deserved every ounce of his success.

It is essential, given the current climate of racial injustice in the United States, that a documentary about a man who played such a role in dismantling prejudice against Asian-Americans take all the racial factors involved into full consideration and treat them respectfully and knowledgeably, and this documentary does exactly that. It is about Bruce Lee, yes, but more importantly it is about the struggle that he and so many Asian-Americans face even today. It is a story of a man who was able to raise himself above it all, against all odds, and prove to the world that an Asian man could outshine any leading actor, and that by virtue of his determination was equally if not more deserving of the superstardom so often relegated to the white Hollywood elite.