'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' Review

Won't You Be My Neighbor? is a feature length documentary from filmmaker Morgan Neville which examines the life and legacy of Fred Rogers, the beloved host of the popular children's TV show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." 

Believe it or not, but this is actually the first documentary I've reviewed here on my blog. That's primarily because I don't really watch documentaries, but also because the thought of reviewing one never occurred to me. With that being said, I figured it would be worth it for me to give the genre a chance after hearing so much goodwill being spread about Won't You Be My Neighbor?. With this film being heralded as a frontrunner for Best Documentary Feature in the upcoming awards season, it's likely that I'll try to watch and review any of this year's other notable documentaries. 

Since Mister Rogers was before my time, I honestly had no idea who the man was prior to a few weeks ago when I first got wind of this documentary. However, my lacking knowledge made the experience even more interesting and informative. While the hour and a half documentary couldn't possibly have investigated all the intricacies of Mister Rogers' life, I certainly learned more about the man and his series than I could have ever hoped to glean from a quick Google search. The feature evaluates the subject matter through many different lenses, approaching just about every point of the man's life and series' history worth chronicling without feeling biased or invasive in the slightest. 

Won't You Be My Neighbor? seamlessly compiles "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" footage, found footage, sit-down interviews with Rogers' close friends and family, and some animated segments to detail the psychology, philosophy, and origins of various element from the show and Fred Rogers as an individual. As a Christian, I certainly appreciated that the film never shied away from the importance of Rogers' faith which informed the approach of the show. These tid-bits were compelling in their own right, but are even more fascinating in the context which they're presented. 

Rogers' willingness to tackle difficult topics such as grief, death, divorce, and racism is depicted as being one of Rogers primary motives behind the show. He felt responsible for presenting the information in a way that children could understand and enhancing their emotional intelligence whenever he could. He viewed the show as a channel for him to speak to children as equals rather than dumbing things down or talking down to them. To Mister Rogers, children deserved to know what was going on and why it was happening just like any other individual. 

Coming from someone who hardly knew who Mister Rogers was prior to watching this documentary, I found this film to be quite warm and emotionally moving. Towards the end, a question was posed to the interviewees and the audience. "Think of the people who helped you become who you are, those who have cared about you, and wanted what was best for you in life." Rogers asked that exact question upon accepting a lifetime achievement Daytime Emmy award in 1997, and you'll probably tear up when you hear those words in the context of the documentary. I know I did.

From the looks of things, Fred Rogers was an exemplary human being who touched the lives of many children. In a time when people are divided over trivial matters, Won't You Be My Neighbor? takes the time to remind its audience about a man who was a shining beacon of positivity with a rigid moral compass, and an uplifting ode to a genuinely good-hearted man is precisely what humanity needs right now. Whether you're familiar with Mister Rogers or not, I strongly encourage you to watch Won't You Be My Neighbor? as it's one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

Film Assessment: A-