Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Over seven decades, actor and activist George Takei journeyed from a World War II internment camp to the helm of the Starship Enterprise, and then to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans. Join George and his husband, Brad, on a wacky and profound trek for life, liberty, and love.
To Be Takei is a warm and engaging documentary portrait of George Takei, whose life story—spanning Japanese American internment, Star Trek fame, and late-in-life LGBTQ activism—is genuinely compelling and layered. The film benefits from its charismatic subject, whose personality and history give it real depth and humor. Acting scores reflect the natural charisma of Takei and those interviewed rather than formal performance. Cinematography is functional documentary fare without particular visual ambition. Novelty is moderate—the talking-head documentary format is well-worn, but Takei's singular life and dual legacy as both sci-fi icon and civil rights figure give it enough distinctiveness. The ending lands satisfyingly given the arc of his advocacy and marriage, though it doesn't reach for anything dramatically bold.