But I became a true fan very recently when I binged on "Ally McBeal," a show I never watched during its first run. Robert Jr. played Ally's love interest in Season 4 and was terrific. Indeed, he and Ally were supposed to get married in the storyline but writers had to regroup when he again was fired for drug use.
Almost twenty years later, I marvel at another piece of his work. A new Netflix documentary called "Sr." And pretty much dedicated to his dad Robert Downey Sr., who had a career as an actor and director in some very avant garde movies like "Putney Swope" and "Pound."
In this film, Father is trying to make one last documentary film on the streets of New York. This is a difficult task as he suffers from a progressive strain of Parkinson's. Son films at the same a documentary about his dad making his documentary. This set-up allows them to speak frequently and, given Dad's dire diagnosis, work up some closure between the two. The conversations between the two are loving and compelling and necessary. At some points, Jr's young son is included and you wind up with three generations of symbiotic connections.
Both Sr. and Jr. clearly had their issues over time but they found a way to get ahead of them. More importantly, Jr. is now with wife and children and a sober lifestyle that he has enjoyed for some time. Good for him.
The final scenes between Sr. and Jr., before the former's death in 2021, are as tender and poignant as you would want and hope. The circle is closed. Both of them had bumpy lives but, at the end, there is a special relationship that is to be envied.
Adding to the beauty of the story is black and white cinematography that fits the dialogue to a tee. There are some intrusions of color when clips of movies are shown. But, for the most part, it is cinema verite in all its film noir glory.
Kudos to Robert Downey Jr. for his work in this film. And mastering life.
LEN'S RATING: Three-and-a-half stars.
Dinner last night: Leftover spicy chicken.
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