Life Itself

Director: Steve James With appearances by Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, Errol Morris, Chaz Ebert, Richard Corliss, A.O. Scott et. al.

It is astonishing to think that a film critic from the Chicago Sun-Times achieved international fame for simply offering his two-cents on films. Roger Ebert was well known to cinephiles and non-cinephiles alike and his appearance on television and in printed media always seemed like a given. A documentary about Ebert seems redundant when one considers the ubiquity of his prescence. But Steve James, the talented documentary filmmaker behind Hoop Dreams, Reel Dreams and Stevie, now offers us a moving, extraordinary biopic on a man I thought I knew.

We first see Ebert in the hospital in what was the last year of his life. His jaw is incurably slack, leaving him with his mouth continuously open; his non-existent lower palate a grim reminder of his thyroid cancer, which made intraveneous feedings necessary and left him barely able to walk. It is Ebert's insistence that he be filmed in this state though it is often difficult to watch.

James' film alternately visits Ebert's past and present and in doing so leaves us with a startling contrast. Much of the film's narration is taken from Ebert's memoir Life Itself and what I thought was a recording of Ebert is actually actor Stephen Stanton, whose voice is almost indistinguishable from Ebert himself.

We see Ebert in old photographs from his childhood in Urbana, Illinois and hear from friends and colleagues how eager he was to have a by-line. His parents encouraged his writing, which eventually earned him the editor's role in his college newspaper. Ebert's friends remember his time as editor as being exceptional for his coverage of salient events of the day, including the violence surrounding the civil-rights struggles in the south.

The film moves on to Ebert's job at the Chicago Sun-Times; where he was offered his coveted by-line as the film critic; a position he would hold for decades. Even the prestige of the Pulitzer prize and lucrative job offers from the New York Times and the Boston Globe couldn't lure Ebert from his position at the Chicago Sun-Times.

From here we enter a darker period of his life, focusing on Ebert's alcoholism, which he remembers as a very real agent in his near-destruction. From the narration, we learn that if not for his terrible hang-overs, he may not have overcome his illness in the late 70s'. By then he was already well on his way to achieving celebrity status with his famous counterpart Gene Siskel on the syndicated movie-review show, which underwent numerous name-changes over the years.

A more humorous, obscure episode in his life was his work as screenwriter for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a film for which Martin Scorsese offers a tentative endorsement. It is also touching to hear Scorsese talk about Ebert's review of his first feature film, which brought the filmmaker attention, if not acclaim. Later we listen to Scorsese discuss a bleak low-point in his life and career in the late 70s' and how a tribute to his work by Siskel and Ebert at the Toronto Film Festival helped extricate the director from a morose phase. To hear Scorsese tearfully recount the experience, we are moved by his gratitude to the two critics. Scorsese's involvement in the film as Executive Producer might reflect this. It is also interesting to hear Scorsese recall Ebert's pan of The Color of Money; an act for which the director holds no grudge. The account underscores how critics and filmmakers share an uneasy and sometimes adversarial relationship.

We also learn about the behind-the-scenes evolution of Siskel and Ebert's show, whose audience continued to swell in the 1980s' and 1990s'. What began as mutual contempt between the critics, morphed into a close, fraternal relationship. It is astonishing to hear how Ebert felt he was closer to Siskel than any other man in his entire life.

One of the key moments in Ebert's life was his marriage to Chaz Ebert, who contributes her own personal accounts throughout the film. Ebert cites his deep, fulfilling relationship with Chaz as a life-impacting experience. We see her as she lovingly attends to his needs, which were many in his physically diminished state.

Many filmmakers weigh in on what Ebert meant to their careers. Errol Morris discusses Ebert's review of his film Gates of Heaven, which helped bring critical acclaim while Werner Herzog speaks fondly of seeing Ebert's star on his strolls on the walk of fame. Critics also have their say; most notably Richard Corliss, who feuded with Ebert over the supposed dumbing down of film criticism, specifically leveled against the syndicated program.

What it all amounts to is a fascinating, touching portrait of a man who achieved fame for something that doesn't normally bestow fame on practitioners. No film critic since has touched such stratospheric heights and most likely ever will again.

James' film is absorbing, sometimes heartbreaking and often unflinching. Whatever one believes about Ebert as a person or critic, one indisputable truth is his love for cinema. The fact that he spent part of the last year of his life watching films attests to the validity of the statement. For someone who grew up reading and listening to Ebert's reviews, I can honestly say everyone who writes about film, including myself, owes him some kind of debt.
It is interesting to see the camera turned on a critic. We are watching a film about a guy who watched films. It is an interesting paradox and for Life Itself, it makes perfect sense.