Won't You Be My Neighbor? - A true labor of love

"The greatest thing we can do is to let someone know that they're loved and capable of loving."

-Fred Rogers 

Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was, and still is, one of the most influential children's show ever devised. From 1968 to 2001, Fred Rogers educated, inspired, entertained, and enlightened children, and adults, all over the world. He was one of the rare people in history who indeed was one of the kindest and most bold personalities you've ever seen, both on television, and in the real world. Even so, over the years, many rumors about Fred Rogers began to build up. Was he really the kind and well-mannered person he was on television? Was he a former Navy Seal who wore long sleeves to cover up his tattoos? Did he have a secret hatred for some people or maybe a dark fetish of some kind? Well, if you're looking for answers, not only will you find them all in this documentary, but you will also learn what real love looks like. This has to be the most heartwarming and hopeful films I have seen so far this year. Mainly because it's almost hard to believe that a man like Mr. Rogers was ever actually like he was on his show. And yet, he really was that amazing.

Won't You Be My Neighbor is a new documentary from director Morgan Neville, late of the Academy Award-winning documentary film from 2014, Twenty Feet from Stardom. It chronicles the origin, highlights, and trials & tribulations of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. It also dives into the life of Fred Rogers himself discussing his own childhood and his personal reasons for creating his show. Though he was an ordained minister (which I didn't know until this film), Fred Rogers was most interested in helping children, and that television was an excellent tool for accomplishing that goal. He set about to create a program for children that would educate them about feelings, the power of make-believe, and the importance of self-worth, self-acceptance, and the beauty of the individual.

What makes this documentary so amazing, and sometimes emotionally charging, is Fred Rogers himself. Learning just how much of an incredibly kind person he was, and how committed he was to his mission of helping and teaching children for no reason other than he wanted to do so, and that it was the right thing to do, is incredibly awe-inspiring. Hearing testimonials from people who know him and worked with him paints a portrait of a genuinely dedicated man, and reminds us all of the impacts one person can indeed have on the world.

There is so much to enjoy from this film. It provides a ray of hope in these troubled times of ours. It reminds us that there are still good people in this world and that we are all capable of being better. In this strange and alienating world of ours, we need more people like Mr. Rogers. We need to remember his example and keep love alive.

Is this movie worth seeing?
Yes.

Is it worth seeing in theaters?
Yes.

Why?
It is a real vision of how a little kindness can go a long way.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you for reading.