Bill W.

Bill W. is a great documentary and very informative. I learned a lot about Bill Wilson that I didn't know beforehand. I have a new appreciation for Alcoholics Anonymous and the man who helped start the 12 step movement that has saved thousands of lives. The actual audio of Bill Wilson talking along with the original images made the film that much more real. Can't wait for it to come out on DVD to see what treasurers might be included that had to be cut so as not to make it too long. Definitely a documentary that I will watch again. The screening I attended was sold out. I was grateful to attend a night in which the director Kevin Hanlon was there for Q&A.

The film is well done. It was well researched and organized. It is as good a documentary as "The Thin Blue Line," "The Fog of War" or "American Movie." It is one of my top 10 favorite movies. I am an active AA member and a fan of documentaries. I first this film at Chicago's Century Centre Cinema and then at a community college screening with the director present for Q&A. Then, I bought the DVD. There is a big backstory and lore to the AA movement that many of us in AA were not even aware of. For example, Kevin Hanlon interviewed Ernest Kurtz, author of Not-God, a doctoral dissertation and a definitive work on AA history. Few people in AA get beyond AA's basic text, Alcoholics Anonymous. The film can be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in documentaries, but it will have special significance for AA members. And, it had to be made by an outsider. AA itself could never have internally agreed to make this film. It is great to have this bit of history pulled together in a balanced manner.

I love this film, but my view is skewed. The emotional link for those of us in recovery is deep, and the effect of watching it reminded me of visiting Akron for AA "Founder's Day"; not unlike a pilgrimage. The footage and photos I've never seen before of these historical figures were riveting. The music, stunning. The whole thing was well thought out, sequenced, and presented, and gave me a few surprises. The dramatized segments were effective, with excellently done costumes, hair, sets, and lighting. I am, however, a stickler for continuity and was disappointed (like nails on a chalkboard disappointed) in the wrong decade chairs used for the banquet meetings, not to mention the plastic name tag holders that weren't in common usage back then. That's my only beef with this otherwise well presented piece. I laughed and I cried. Thanks so much for this important work.

Bill Wilson (also known as "Bill W.") seems to embody the archetypal characteristics that make the American hero. Bill founded the popular organization Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but the catch here is that he was not only the organization's founder but a fellow member, who long struggled with alcoholism after his service in World War I. He was a man who tried to conquer and overcome his own personal demons, while recognizing and assisting those with similar ones. He's an underrated, often uncredited man.

Thankfully, Dan Carracino and Kevin Hanlon credit his valuable contributions with Bill W., a documentary humanizing the man behind AA, who often remained a vague figure to even those apart of the organization. So much so that his last name wasn't even revealed until his death in 1971. Bill was born in East Dorset, Vermont in 1895, living a quiet and humble life, and had not his first drink until he was in military training; it was a glass of beer which had no effect on him whatsoever. That was until he drank again at a party, breaking free from his shyness and introverted personality into a man of confidence and liberation.

Not long after marrying his wife Lois, Bill left to serve in World War I. Upon returning, he became a stock speculator and traveled with his wife in an effort to make ends meet and stay sober. Unfortunately, that didn't work either, and Bill's constant binge drinking and pervasive drunkenness effectively tore his life and career apart. Thankfully, with the commitment of his long-suffering wife, him and his close friend Hank G. Parkhurst founded AA, a spiritual program for struggling alcoholics.

At the time, this kind of thing was unheard of, and the documentarians make note of that. Alcoholism was seen as more of a weakness than a sweeping disease. People were often given medication or committed to an asylum in order to maintain sobriety. Bill's approach with AA was much more humane and organized, but different and something of a wonder. Instead of focusing on heavy medication or persistent psychoanalysis and treatment, Bill predicated the organization off of six steps (now infamously known as "the twelve-step program") that allowed one person to get deeply in touch with their inner-alcoholic self, using religion, spirituality, mental stability, and determination as key functions to get to and remain in a state of sobriety. This method of "natural cures" was also unheard of at time, and for that reason, the more and more I think of Bill more as not only a lifesaver, but a pioneer.

Bill's story is largely told by current AA members (some who've maintained sobriety for an upwards of fifty years) shown in shadow to obscure identity. "Alcoholism is a treacherous disease," says one member, "and there's a real barrier to recognizing things like this." What he is saying is that perhaps alcoholism is a hard thing to pinpoint for those who are struggling because they may feel like they have just gone over the line of "one too many" a few times and that it's no big deal in the long run. Or perhaps they find that they are more competent and confident when under the influence. Alcoholism is a sad addiction because you usually can't see the world crumble around; you only see your surrealistic vision of it.

A terrific feature about Bill W. is that it allows itself to be told not just through the perspective of current AA members, but himself, in archive footage, live interviews, and speaking sessions. This provides the film with a close-to-home feel, as if Bill is still telling his story even though he's no longer with us. I could listen to Bill talk for hours, personally. He has a deeply sophisticated persona about him, calm, determined, and filled with dry-wit, as he recounts his darkest days and his brightest ones in an attempt to lead others as far away as possible from the path of self-destruction.

Bill W. best serves as a film that allows the man, who has heard a number of stories, the opportunity to let his story be heard by members and people who are likely unaware of the accomplishments and tribulations he went through. Perhaps current AA members or those who have handled their problems with alcoholism away from the institution will enjoy this film more than me. I admire Wilson's accomplishments and truly believe he deserves the title of "one of the most influential men of the century," yet I am unable to form a deep connection with any story here or with Wilson himself, which seems to crucial to enjoy this documentary. I would never discourage anyone from seeing it, but the main effect may likely be absent from most viewers.

Starring: Bill Wilson (archive footage) and Blake J. Evans. Directed by: Dan Carracino and Kevin Hanlon.

First off, I'm not a recovering alcoholic so the movie didn't strike a chord in me on that level. However, I do respect Bill W.'s work tremendously. Unfortunately, the movie failed to deliver in my opinion. While it offered an amazing inside in the founder of AA, its presentation was lacking all over. Throughout the whole movie I felt like they could have wrapped this up into a 30 minute piece for the history channel (with better writing) which would still do the man justice if well done. The detailed story dragged on for what felt like days, the reenactment was "ok" but really nothing special and I could have dealt with less. It took the director 9 years to make this which explains the slow paste this movie had IMO.

Again, a needed portrait of an important person - but a little documentary piece wrapped into a whole movie. I'm sure AA members see it different.