Ready to head into the Downey-verse? The latest project from Robert Downey Jr. isn’t that long-awaited third Sherlock Holmes movie, or a surprise return to the MCU – it’s a documentary about his father, Robert Downey Sr., by the name of “Sr.” (Yes, movie-title punctuation fans – the quote marks and the full-stop are all part of the official title.) Because, while most audiences these days are aware of Robert Downey Jr., A-list mega-star, before him was Robert Downey Sr., a pioneering filmmaker and acting talent in his own right. In “Sr.”, directed by Fyre filmmaker Chris Smith, Downey Jr. attempts to get a handle on Downey Sr. as a father, as a filmmaker, and as a man. Watch the emotional trailer here:
Doesn’t that look touching? The film is produced by Downey Jr., who also appears as one of its central subjects – given the familial nature of the project, this is less of an objective documentary than it is an up-close-and-personal chronicle of two generations coming together, combining freshly-shot footage with that of old family films and archival material. It’s a stirring idea – and then you put ‘Father And Son’ over the top of it, and it feels all the more emotionally potent.
Having debuted at film festivals earlier in the year, “Sr.” is heading into select cinemas from 18 November, and will be streaming on Netflix from 2 December.