Dick Johnson Is Dead

Works infinitely better as a personal therapeutic device than a film... Or at least I hope it does...because beyond the fact that DIck Johnson seemed/seems like a nice guy, I didn't really get anything out of it (beside anger towards the bait 'n switch ending)

Poorly judged.

Sooo...is this fuggin' guy dead or not?

Kirsten Johnson is undeniably talented and a creative force when it comes to documentary filmmaking. Then you add her father, who seems to be the warmest human being. His smile, which is nearly always present, just brings immediate joy. The celebration of a person's life can be a push and pull between sadness and delight, and Johnson captures this juxtaposition perfectly. I can't think of a better tribute.

Keep tissues ready and your parents on speed dial for this one. Oh, and fuck dementia.

Dick Johnson is a very amiable guy and there are a few touching moments (f.e. the crying best friend) that moved me cause well real emotions from real people do move me. But as a documentary that meant to give some insight into the grieving process from losing one's parents this falls shorts.

Such a warm and inventive movie, that loses some points for questionable decisions towards the end.

Fun for the director and her family but if you don't know them it's little more than an interesting concept. Some fun bits and pieces but mostly its for fans of Kirsten Johnson because ultimately it's all about her.

The title is incredibly misleading. First of all Dick Johnson isn't dead, and second, it is his daughter who reveals herself, as a narcissistic showman, incapable of stopping this clumsy train of terrible ideas, even way after it crosses the line. Tasteless documentary.

This did not land for me at all. And instead of being moved I was annoyed.

Wonderful, intensely moving documentary is emotional without being manipulative (or at least overtly so), and notable for its refreshingly frank and honest view of death as a both silly and inconsequential (note the slapstick absurdity of most of Johnson's "deaths") meshed with what it means to see a loved one on a downhill spiral towards the inevitable. A tricky tonal balancing act, but Johnson pulls it off superbly. A real treat, and a genuinely sweet and even uplifting piece of cinema.

Funny, sweet and very emotional goodbye from filmmaker Kristen Johnson to her aging father. Loses some of its momentum in the middle but regains it for its powerful finale.

Not much to say cause I'm too busy crying during the credits. Call your loved ones. Film your memories. This hits too deep.

Basically a counterspell to dementia, erasing the line between life and death.

Exceptionally lovely. A gentle reminder to cherish those you love like they’ll be gone tomorrow.

While I think this has a lot of value as a home video for the Johnson family, in particular as a form of therapy for Kirsten and her demented father, as a film to be shared with the general public it misses the mark. It's less documentary and more diary. However, Johnson does explore some interesting links between death and cinema that could have formed the focus of a worthwhile film, but alas this is not realised.

napim

At the same time weird and hilarious as a slapstick comedy and heartbreaking and poignant as a real-life story about loss.

Filmmaker Kirsten Johnson's attempt to celebrate and say goodbye to her father while he can still appreciate it is both heartbreaking and hilarious.