Morgan Neville’s documentary about Fred Rogers is sweet, earnest, and filled with a wellspring of love for one of television’s kindest souls.
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? succeeds in telling the story of one of the most beloved heroes of so many of our childhoods. But where it shines brightest is showing the persistent inner voice of Mr. Fred Rogers – a voice that inspired him to help every child understand their innate worth, all while battling to convince himself of his own.
Morgan Neville’s (20 Feet from Stardom) recounting of the history of Fred Rogers begins not at his birth, but at the birth of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. From the moment that Fred chooses to leave the seminary at a young age, we follow the lifelong ambition of one genuinely empathetic man. His goal: simply let children know that they are perfect the way they are and that they are loved. Despite this simple ambition, Fred Rogers’ hard work, dedication and kindness led him to become the voice of a whole generation of children, helping them navigate the struggles of daily life as well as the fear of worldly horrors, such as war, assassinations, and racism.
Once Neville establishes that base, he carefully allows us into Fred Rogers’ childhood, revealing the true root of his genuine caring. Using animation to depict this secret world, this side of Fred’s life is told through the scope of his first (and favorite) puppet, Daniel Striped Tiger. We are shown the World of Make Believe, a world Fred himself created to escape a childhood of sickness, lonesomeness, and the fear of displaying his own feelings. Not only is Ariel Costa and Rodrigo Miguel Rangel’s animation stunning, but it often creates some of the most evocative moments in the piece. Plus, it only feels right that the most personal side of Fred Rogers is presented to us through the eyes of the puppet that gave him the most liberty to be his true self.
However, the most striking and heart-wrenching strain of the film focuses on a side of Rogers we never saw in his adult life. – a side that, despite all his accomplishments, convinced him he hadn’t changed the world for the better at all. There are moments, usually after great tragedy, we see a side of him we don’t normally associate with our favorite neighbor – defeated, saddened, downtrodden. While these moments are genuinely crushing to see, it becomes all the more apparent that it was this doubtful inner voice that allowed him to connect to children so well.
Neville illustrates this connection most adroitly through a brief segment on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, where Daniel Tiger worries that he might have “been a mistake.” In this moment, Daniel sings about his fears while a friend sings along with him, expressing her love for Daniel just the way he is. This moment shows the true heart of Fred Rogers -he knows we all carry that anxiety that nothing we do matters. That even when we are surrounded by friends telling us otherwise, the voice of doubt is still ferocious enough to stay there.
But Rogers knew the only way to make it quieter: through the voice of someone else telling us what we need to hear. That we are perfect just as we are, and that we are loved.
In Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, Neville does a brilliant job not only showing the world the influence Fred had on it, but also to quiet that voice of doubt that Fred carried until his final years. This film isn’t just brilliant and touching, but a wonderful gift to the generations moved by Rogers’ calls to kindness, decency and sensitivity. While our best neighbor may have worried that he didn’t change anything for the better, this gathering of voices does exactly what Fred would have wanted: to make those doubts all the quieter under a rousing chorus of love.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? comes to your neighborhood June 8th.
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial