WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR  4.0***

This excellent documentary film is an in-depth look at the life of Fred Rogers. It starts with an early look into his life and how he used his talents to get a show on PBS titled Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. The film also shows why the show was groundbreaking for its unique approach to explaining to kids racial tensions, death and assassinations, acceptance and inclusion, topics we usually try to shield from children.  His neighborhood was iconic; if you were a kid growing up during his show you knew who he was, knew his sweaters, and his routines on the show. The film is a wonderful look into that world and the personality of a man who America loved for his kind and innovative nature.

The documentary style is one known for pulling back the curtain on people or issues and revealing new truths. But with Rogers, what you see is what you get. He grew up in a well-to-do home, was bullied as a child and was on the path to becoming a minister when he saw the power of television as an educational tool before most anyone else.

The movie weaves together clips from the show, interview footage, behind-the-scenes footage, footage of Rogers in the "real world" and present-day interviews, most of which is set to classic "Mister Rogers" piano music. 

Mr. Rogers main theme was that the greatest gift you ever give is your honest self. That children must be loved and must know that they are capable of loving and worthy of being loved. And that - dear friends - is what he meant when he said at the end of every show “you make this day a special day, just by being you - and I like you just the way you are”.

The timing of this movie's release couldn't be better. With the decline in civility and the unsettling divisiveness and all that is going on around us, Fred Rogers takes us back to a much gentler and kinder time.  This documentary will make you stop and rethink who you are and what you are doing with your life.