Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
The surprising and entertaining life of renowned film critic and social commentator Roger Ebert (1942-2013): his early days as a freewheeling bachelor and Pulitzer Prize winner, his famously contentious partnership with Gene Siskel, his life-altering marriage, and his brave and transcendent battle with cancer.
Life Itself is an emotionally resonant documentary about Roger Ebert that transcends the typical biography format. The film's novelty comes from its unflinching access to Ebert's final months—raw, uncomfortable hospital footage juxtaposed with a rich archival celebration of his life and influence on film culture. The ending is genuinely moving and earned, as director Steve James captures Ebert's death with dignity and grace, making it one of documentary cinema's more remarkable closing acts. Plot and acting (interview subjects, archival footage) are solid but standard for the genre. Cinematography is competent but unremarkable. Overall it stands as a distinctive, singular portrait of a one-of-a-kind cultural figure.