Review of Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) by Alex Bonafide A — 17 Jun 2018

"Won't You Be My Neighbor?" functions like any other documentary, the difference being that this is about Fred Rogers, one of the most iconic figures in children's television through "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood". Growing up on this show as a kid, it was really interesting to have the show, and its architect, analyzed from a pop culture perspective. At that age, I never realized how revolutionary Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was, not simply by the subject matter it covered, but also in the way it was presented. While television was taking off and became saturated with "kid" shows that utilized slapstick humor and/or over-stimulated imagery, Neighborhood took its slow-paced time in a way that addressed youth like intelligent people-and intended on developing intelligent, self-conscious people. This phenomenon in children's programming was nothing like what was on TV at the time, nor has it been quite replicated since.

Fred Rogers is the real interest in this documentary, as someone who truly embodied the calm, gentle person offscreen as the host he was onscreen. I felt that the documentary never properly uncovered the individual however, using his Neighborhood show as the lens to talk about both. With the wealth of non-Neighborhood video capture of Fred Rogers, I could really see how this documentary could have been executed from a more artistic direction, and I think that would have brought an even more enriching experience. Additionally, a documentary on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood/Fred Rogers is not untimely. As an almost rebellious form of children television in comparison to TV's other offerings at the time, Rogers' spirit of inclusion, gentleness, and love is a trending force in today's socio-political climate. For that reason, with the understanding Rogers was an ordained minister, this documentary had the potential to impart a strong theological definition to the love he sought to practice. As it stands, whether or not his practiced beliefs were as limited as the feature inferred, Rogers ultimately adds to the nebulous idea of loving others, without a comprehensive Scriptural view of God.

Overall, "Won't You Be My Neighbor" is an intriguing look at a lost approach towards children and will leave you touched and maybe even emboldened to resurrect some of Mr. Rogers' ideology. Unfortunately, there's a level of real theological depth missing that buckles his whole structure once the pleasant feelings fade.