LIFE ITSELF…3.5***

           The face on the above movie poster is very recognizable to many movie fans : Roger Ebert, Pulitzer Prize winning film critic for the Chicago Sun Times, celebrated television reviewer, and one of the foremost advocates of film . We remember his small stature, roundish face and horn-rimmed glasses  and his trademarked thumbs up or down for his movie ratings. We think back to his well-crafted movie reviews and that impish grin (later be lost to bone cancer, along with his jaw and voice). This is his story, as told by one of his favorite documentary filmmakers, Steve James, in his gripping documentary, Life Itself.

The film chronicles Ebert's rise to fame in the sixties as a hard working reporter to becoming a syndicated film personality (along with his fellow critic, Gene Siskel) on their highly popular TV programs: Sneak Previews, At the Movies, and finally Siskel & Ebert which brought him fame and fortune .  But Life Itself is also a touching love story about Roger and Chaz, his devoted wife, and their relationship.  The film  never skirts the issues of Ebert's problematic life, from his early bouts with alcoholism and to his battle with cancer in his later years. The movie expertly transitions from before and after contrasting images of Ebert as the upbeat critic and crusader to a brave man disfigured by the ravages of cancer.   This is  an honest and absorbing tribute filled with interviews of other movie critics, close friends and film directors who truly admired this man and his impact on their lives. The film also uses wonderful footage from the Siskel / Ebert television programs which have a nostalgic and entertaining quality sorely missing from today's mass media. The bantering and rivalry between these two critics not only communicates their passion and devotion to the art of film, but ultimately illustrates their far-reaching effect on the film industry.

Re his bout with cancer, the movie vividly shows the brutality of the disease. Unable to eat, drink or talk, Ebert relies on his computer and his love for Chaz to get through the difficult, painful days. These hospital and rehab scenes are almost unbearable to watch but are never gratuitous.

I would like to take a minute to talk about  movies and writing reviews and what they mean to me. They are surely my favorite hobby and something I feel passionate about.  When I decided that I wanted to write movie reviews (about 10 years ago), I knew I didn't want to be an academic critic. I'm not someone who analyzes the deep themes and symbolism of the movies. It doesn't mean I don't sometimes see them, it's just something I don’t feel qualified to write about. My approach has always been to keep it rather  simple. My objective is to tell people if I think a movie is good or not and why. Roger Ebert was an excellent academic critic and my favorite by far. The thing I admired most about Ebert's reviews was his writing style…how simple, accurate, and eloquent he made everything. It was always about the movies with Ebert. He helped inform, describe and analyze what movies had to offer.  

This is no longer in the theatres but can be found on DVDs,  TV and through Netflix.

Clark