Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
An inspiring feature documentary and love story, about the overnight sensation, actor and international sex symbol, Andy Whitfield, who put the same determination and dedication that he brought to his lead role in "Spartacus" into fighting life-threatening cancer.
Be Here Now is a genuinely moving documentary chronicling Andy Whitfield's battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, blending intimate home footage with his public rise as Spartacus. The emotional honesty and the love story at its core elevate it above typical celebrity illness documentaries, earning solid marks across the board. However, the cancer-fight documentary format is well-worn territory, and while the personal stakes feel real, the structural approach—intimate access, family footage, reflective narration—follows familiar documentary conventions rather than breaking new ground. The cinematography is competent and emotionally fitting but not visually remarkable. Acting is not really applicable in the traditional sense but the naturalistic, unguarded performances from Andy and Vashti are compelling. The ending, while inevitable and genuinely affecting, doesn't subvert expectations. Novelty suffers most as the template largely adheres to the inspirational illness biography genre.