IMDb RATING
7.2/10
3.8K
YOUR RATING
Follow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural come... Read allFollow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural comedy in the 1960s and 1970s.Follow the tender but appropriately irreverent account of the life and career of Robert Downey Sr., the fearless and visionary American director who set the standard for countercultural comedy in the 1960s and 1970s.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 8 nominations total
Paul Thomas Anderson
- Self
- (archive footage)
Allan Arbus
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Dick Cavett
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Patrick Dempsey
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Elsie Downey
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Antonio Fargas
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Allen Garfield
- Self
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
I remember like it was yesterday the day that I discovered Robert Downey Jr. On film. I was only 15 years old when I saw Iron Man 2. I remember I turned to my friend and said, "who is that?" She knew who he was and had already been a fan of his. Since that day, I became an aficionado when it came to his films. I found his backstory to be very interesting and how although he had endured a lot of hardship he came back with a vengeance and turned out to be the highest paid actor and our beloved Tony Stark/Iron man. This film binds together the love of him and and his father. It's a must watch! :)
Time is finite, archives are what one makes of them, and child parent relationships vary by example. The Downeys exemplify this. And kudos to Jr for making "Sr," because it is a gem.
The forest view that RDJ provides of his father in his twilight years is as much a love language and path to understanding as it is a finessed effort to balance and setting the bar of creativity and life's imperfections for his own children.
Plus it's in black & white. Mostly. The self-aware choice of b & w elevates the subject imo, and truly provides a greater measure of reverence and artistry.
This documentary is the best example of following your art, following your heart, and never stop pursuing the next opportunity. Film, family, self-reflection.
The forest view that RDJ provides of his father in his twilight years is as much a love language and path to understanding as it is a finessed effort to balance and setting the bar of creativity and life's imperfections for his own children.
Plus it's in black & white. Mostly. The self-aware choice of b & w elevates the subject imo, and truly provides a greater measure of reverence and artistry.
This documentary is the best example of following your art, following your heart, and never stop pursuing the next opportunity. Film, family, self-reflection.
Wow. I have to admit never seeing any of the movies featured but can identify many of the cast as movers and shakers in the industry. Testament to a man who made movies for the pure pleasure of movie making and challenging the perceptions of others. Family and friends contributing to a precis of a craftsman and a Son charting his final farewell to a Man who allowed him live his own life.
Many time I recognised parallels in the relationship between Father and Son and my own parent & myself (sudden death syndrome) and that last 'interview' where Jr 'knows' is touching as it is shared with Jr's Jr. I can only conclude that when Sr's mind went elsewhere it was back to the time when editing of his segment was in process.
At times poignant, mostly humorous, this end-time journey was something I would not usually watch but I am so glad I did, such creativity.
Many time I recognised parallels in the relationship between Father and Son and my own parent & myself (sudden death syndrome) and that last 'interview' where Jr 'knows' is touching as it is shared with Jr's Jr. I can only conclude that when Sr's mind went elsewhere it was back to the time when editing of his segment was in process.
At times poignant, mostly humorous, this end-time journey was something I would not usually watch but I am so glad I did, such creativity.
In "Sr.", Robert Downey Jr. And Chris Smith present a unique and personal approach to a bio-doc about Robert Downey Sr., the filmmaker and father of the famous actor. Shot in black-and-white, the film captures the intimacy and complexity of their relationship, as well as Downey Sr.'s artistic process. The inclusion of alternate versions of certain scenes and discussions about the framing of others adds to the documentary's focus on the art of filmmaking. Despite some potential areas for deeper exploration, the emotional access given to Smith by the subjects and the power of finality as Downey Sr. Faces his own death make for a moving and thought-provoking viewing experience.
R. I. P. Robert Downey, Senior (1936-2021)
This documentary has good pacing, camerawork and interesting dialog.
Robert Downey, Senior was an original American indie filmmaker and director. From way back in the 1940's. He was a revolutionary. He was a genius.
The man has a fairly substantial portfolio. Both my wife and myself have been wondering for quite a while just when a documentary about Senior would be made. Here it is. Finally.
Senior the documentary gets us into the man's head. We see his strange take on life and how it influenced his creative processees. We see how any kind of feedback, whether positive or negative, was treated like water running off a duck's back.
This documentary has good pacing, camerawork and interesting dialog.
Robert Downey, Senior was an original American indie filmmaker and director. From way back in the 1940's. He was a revolutionary. He was a genius.
The man has a fairly substantial portfolio. Both my wife and myself have been wondering for quite a while just when a documentary about Senior would be made. Here it is. Finally.
Senior the documentary gets us into the man's head. We see his strange take on life and how it influenced his creative processees. We see how any kind of feedback, whether positive or negative, was treated like water running off a duck's back.
Did you know
- TriviaIn a 2022 interview with The Upcoming, Chris Smith spoke about how the film approached the complex dynamic between Robert Downey Jr. and his father: "Very early on Robert's like, 'We're not making a rosy portrait of our relationship because it wasn't all roses', and he was very clear about that. But I think there was an undeniable connection and love between these two people. So I think that push and pull was what made the film interesting. There's a real universality in the relationship between parents and children that we all have and we all experience and I think that those are the things that I was excited about because you have two larger than life personalities, yet there was something very relatable and human about the movie that came together in the end."
- ConnectionsFeatures Balls Bluff (1961)
- How long is Sr.?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime
- 1h 29m(89 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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