Review of Life Itself (2014) by Viet Phuong N — 05 Dec 2014

A deeply, deeply moving documentary about my beloved film critic Roger Ebert, on how he became who he was and how he ended his life in endless struggles with cancer yet always in uplifting spirit and life-grabbing will.

The film does not focus on Roger's view on films and on film criticism, rather he is portrayed as a cynical human-being (especially before getting married to the ever courageous Chaz Ebert) but takes the love of cinema to the deep down of his heart and soul, thus is always kind to the (good) films and ones who make them - like Scorsese, who still keeps a recognition plaque given by Roger in the most private place of his house as a memory on how Roger himself had saved him from the suicidal period of early 1980s; or like Werner Herzog, who had never dedicated his films to anyone until the one that he paid tribute to Roger by going to the farthest place in Earth - the Antarctic and bowing down to the critic's direction.

The film is particularly effective in depicting the last fight of Ebert against cancer - a fight that he knew he would lose by the end yet still bravely fought with all his heart - for his love of films and his love to his dearly wife Chaz.

Roger looked frail and painful by the end, especially when he, who did not have a jaw anymore, had to "ingest" food through a tube piercing directly into his throat - a process that looks extremely painful to me - a viewer, let alone to Roger himself.

Incredibly enough, Roger still found his humour and good spirit whenever he could - the spirit that even cheered up people around him. The only "complaint" about this film is the fact that his love for films was not brought to the audience (maybe it is not the purpose of this documentary, but still.

..), especially when the film itself provides plenty of views on film criticism by other famous films critics like NY Times' A.O. Scott or Time Magazine's Richard Corliss. Some of those comments seem to even undermine Roger's style in film criticism - though I do not think that Roger did care about such criticisms about his style.

Maybe we have to wait for another documentary about the "Roger's style" - directed by Scorsese I hope...