Sydney Film Festival Review - Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story

 

“You are still you, and we still love you.”

Emotional, inspiring and uplifting, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is a terrific and touching tribute to the acting icon and disability advocate that shows how vulnerable his humanity was, and how invulnerable his hope was, with interviews and archival footage documenting his impact on the lives of so many who continue to call him rightfully a hero. 

Discussion Points: 

Bring your tissues! Because this is an absolute tearjerker. A touching and tremendous documentary about Christopher Reeve both pre and post paralysis and how both as Superman and advocate, he functioned as a hero fit many. The documentary also doesn’t shy away from his flaws, stemming from his family of origin, and the tragedies, controversies and difficulties that Reeve’s and his family and friends faced. The film also focuses on Christopher’s deep enduring friendship with Robin Williams and the joy and support they gave to each others lives. Documentarians Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui use interviews with family and friends, including some famous faces (Glenn Close, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon, Jeff Daniels and more) and archival footage to tell a moving story of Reeve’s career, both as actor and advocate. Near the close of the film, a comment is made that heroes aren’t extraordinary people who do extraordinary things, they are ordinary people who do extraordinary things. Reeve never saw himself as a hero, but through his work, both on the stage and screen and behind it, he inspired and helped many. While he fought for tomorrows cure, his wife focused on todays care, and together they, and their family have left a lasting impact that can only be described as heroic and superhuman.