Mike Wallace Is Here

By far this was one of 2019's best doc's as it showcased and highlighted the 50 years of investigative reporting from legendary newsman Mike Wallace. The film begins with Wallace's humble upbringing and how radio influenced him. And how he broke into the business he started with advertising and doing commercials which lead to the Mike Wallace interview hour. Yet in a tragedy when his son died it caused Mike to take a leap to network news as at "CBS" it's where his found his gem and bread and butter special that was being a reporter on the news magazine hour "60 minutes". Wallace known for his direct and tough questions lead the way combined with the programs hard hitting investigative look at issues and many 20th century leaders. This would become a broadcast staple despite controversy and law suits from companies, still Mike was a leader as the evolution of broadcast TV began with him! Never before scene footage and the interviews are revealing and eye opening as many well known people were featured and it highlights Wallace's bout with depression. Overall well done doc of the investigative legend which was a killer strong self portrait.

I'm a big fan of, a practitioner of, and now a researcher of journalism and its impact on the world -- but did not grow up knowing who Mike Wallace was, until I was a young adult. I've read his biography, seen clips, and have followed the history of 60 minutes as an important institution among American Journalism -- so, I had high hopes for the documentary "Mike Wallace is Here". However, what I walked away with was the feeling that Mr. Wallace's film library is a treasure to delve into, I did feel like this film doesn't really do justice to who Mike Wallace was, and the legacy he left behind. The technique of splicing a bunch of footage, while certainly compelling, both of interviews done by and of Mike Wallace just didn't really congeal very well into a coherent story, and I ultimately was disappointed at the end.

I think that the filmmaker not only wanted to show who Mike Wallace was, but also what impact his style of journalism left on the profession, with some nods to our current post-fact world. Any of these topics on their own would have worked well, but putting them all together, makes the film somewhat incoherent.

I really wanted to like this documentary, as the critical reviews for this were mostly positive, and I found Mike Wallace to have an interesting career. But the film basically was just a history of Mike Wallace interviewing people, with no cohesion, and no bigger picture. It would have been nice to hear how his colleagues thought of him, or how his son and TV journalist Chris thought about him, but there is none of that. I also thought it was a mistake not to caption during the movie which famous person he was talking to. That was revealed at the very end, and who cares at that point? Since I'm in my late 50's, I recognized almost everybody he spoke to without needing to see a caption, but people younger than me are going to recognize fewer people. And I was annoyed that there were no captions identifying people that I was unable to recognize.

Also, because they show his interviews from the 60's in black and white, there is lots of smoking going on...lots.

The New Documentary Film " Mike Wallace Is Here" is pretty good. Deep look back at his work with CBS and intimate background about his personal Life. If you are old enough to have watched 60 Minutes for multiple years ? Really cool archived footage of his work over a 50 year career on TV and Radio. His Interviews were Ground breaking but may have fueled the current glut of News shows some of which are very Controversial and Shady. Great job on the research for Film

The 2019 documentary Mike Wallace is Here, directed by Avi Belkin, is a sharp and compelling portrait of one of broadcast journalism's most influential and uncompromising figures. Through a skillful blend of archival footage and cleverly selected interviews, the film constructs a narrative that feels both intimate and expansive. It is edited with precision and rhythm, never straying into melodrama or sensationalism, instead allowing Wallace's own words and presence to guide the story. The absence of a traditional narrator gives the documentary a refreshing sense of authenticity, inviting the audience to draw their own conclusions from the material presented.

What stands out most is the film's even-handed tone. Rather than glorifying Wallace or vilifying his methods, Mike Wallace is Here offers a balanced view of a man who was at once relentless, self-critical, and at times emotionally vulnerable. Belkin avoids over-contextualizing or moralizing, allowing Wallace's many televised confrontations - with everyone from Vladimir Putin to Barbra Streisand - to speak for themselves. The result is a portrait that feels honest, highlighting both Wallace's brilliance and the toll his career may have taken on his personal life.

Overall, the documentary is impressively constructed and consistently engaging. It doesn't rely on flashy effects or dramatizations, but instead trusts the power of its subject and the historical record. For anyone interested in journalism, media ethics, or the art of the interview, Mike Wallace is Here is a thoughtful, well-made film that offers a rare behind-the-scenes view of a man who spent his life in the spotlight - asking the questions no one else dared to.