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Life Itself
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Life Itself

2014
Documentary
Biography
2h 1m
In 2013, we lost Roger Ebert--arguably the nation's best-known and most influential movie critic. Based on his memoir of the same name, Life Itself recounts Ebert's fascinating and flawed journey--from politicized school newspaperman, to Chicago Sun-Times movie critic, to Pulitzer Prize winner, to television household name, to the miracle of finding love at 50, and finally his "third act" as a major voice on the Internet when he could no longer physically speak. (magpictures.com)
Directed by:
Steve James Steve James
Starring:
Martin Scorsese Martin Scorsese Werner Herzog Werner Herzog Errol Morris Errol Morris Roger Ebert Roger Ebert Ramin Bahrani Ramin Bahrani Steve James Steve James Stephen Stanton Ava DuVernay Ava DuVernay Chaz Ebert
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Genres:
Documentary, Biography
Country:
USA
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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Life Itself

2014
Documentary
Biography
2h 1m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 65.35% from 740 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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caimancaiman
Rated 26 Jul 2014
93
96th
Brilliantly constructed and satisfyingly thorough, this is an accurate, heartfelt tribute to a man who knew how to love movies and love life. Who Ebert was - his passions, personality and flaws - is conveyed by Steve James with honesty and admiration. Ebert is sort of a hero to me. He was a guy who was completely comfortable being who he was, and from that quality came a confident voice that taught me a lot about movies and about myself. This is a fitting tribute to a man I will miss forever.
Rated 26 Jul 2014
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 09 Jul 2014
85
86th
Miss ya Roger
Rated 09 Jul 2014
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 19 Jul 2015
8
78th
Surely to strike a nostalgic chord among fellow enthusiasts, Life Itself is a fascinating, in-depth and rich portrait of an inspiring individual who, true to his memoir's title, seemed adamant on living his life much like the foundation of a film: the unpredictable beginning, the stirring if often tumultuous development and perhaps sad yet cathartic resolution. While haphazardly edited and only slightly idolatrous, the profound observations contained within are bound to resonate for a long time.
Rated 19 Jul 2015
chadisdangerchadisdanger
Rated 29 Aug 2014
84
79th
It's not easy to sum up the life of anybody, let alone ubiquitous personalities like Ebert, but this does as good a job as any doc I've seen. It's refreshingly candid and honest about the man (both in dealing with his clash of egos with Siskel and, later, the unpleasant day-to-day realities of his physical condition), but also works as a celebration of his life, his work, and, naturally, the movies.
Rated 29 Aug 2014
oretyo_rety
Rated 26 May 2015
55
24th
Superficial. I don't believe Ebert wasn't a more interesting person. It actually does an odd job of portraying Siskel as the one worthy of a biopic and I guess it has a lot to do with being more honest when it comes to him.
Rated 26 May 2015
ocelotOcelot
Rated 27 Jan 2015
40
31st
This movie needed to be made at either of two points: with Roger able to speak or dead. With him alive but unable to participate in his own life story, it becomes a 90 minute slog of loved ones and "loved ones" praising Ebert with oddly little insight to him as a person. Most people probably don't know as much as I did going in, but there's a lot more that could've been taken away without the parade of mediocre anecdotes.
Rated 27 Jan 2015
comepeliculacomepelicula
Rated 02 Jan 2015
60
52nd
I am not American, so I did not know anything about Roger Ebert when I watched this film. I think it's a nicely done documentary well paced, a nice edition and with a good mix between original and archive footage, something rare. But is about the personal life, the professional life or the last days? In the end is about a bit of everything and for me lacked the depth I would've expected in each of them.
Rated 02 Jan 2015
donquixoticdonquixotic
Rated 15 Nov 2014
70
77th
I liked the movie being a fan of Ebert but the sight of his missing jaw repulsed me. I'm not watching a medical documentary please keep the shots his mouth agape in mock grin out of the frame
Rated 15 Nov 2014
kojilessKojiless
Rated 09 Apr 2016
80
85th
Leonard Maltin was the worst movie critic in the history of the universe. Fuck Leonard Maltin and his pornstache. Luckily, Life Itself goes into great detail regarding the life and accomplishments of some other critic who is not Leonard Maltin, because fuck Leonard Maltin. And his pornstache.
Rated 09 Apr 2016
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 05 Oct 2014
85
75th
Reaffirms my own stance I've felt as a film nut since I was a child. It's an extremely touching and honest portrait of a man and his relationships to film and the people around him.
Rated 05 Oct 2014
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 25 Jun 2015
75
66th
It really struggles to find its focus and for a long time plays out like a fragmented and aimless search for a documentary subject. Then the tragedy comes. Then something beautiful happens. It slowly settles into a weird space between life and death, hopes and memories, holding on and letting go. Wonderfully captures the effect and outlook of the man while keeping his person a dignified & unfinished verse. Suddenly it's an urgent film about how we define our lives in the presence of death.
Rated 25 Jun 2015
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 02 Aug 2014
98
95th
Beautifully crafted, heartfelt tribute to Ebert gains much of its power by using the redemption of a flawed, "not-that-nice" guy to more broadly consider "life itself" and the way various influences (specifically the appreciation of film as both escape from and exploration of the world) can enrich and improve one's life (very much in keeping with Ebert's own life philosophy). Hospital scenes are confronting without being exploitative, and the film avoids sentiment in favour of honest emotion.
Rated 02 Aug 2014
graveyardtangraveyardtan
Rated 09 Feb 2015
100
98th
One of the Great Movies.
Rated 09 Feb 2015
sidehackersidehacker
Rated 27 Jul 2014
77
73rd
Yes, it does the "talking head" thing a lot, but James still manages to weave it all together with the archival clips, which are the real highlight for me. At a more cynical time in my life, I would have dismissed Ebert. But one, he liked Ozu and two, he made a career out of something he loved and he did it to the end of his life. It's also nice to see that the film doesn't hide his suicidal tendencies. The "disabled but upbeat" trope is chipped away at while not seeming endlessly bleak.
Rated 27 Jul 2014
hofschneiderHofschneider
Rated 30 Mar 2015
66
22nd
Ebert was an adjective-critic. He put labels on everything which made him accessible. But did he really arouse stuff? Did he expand the experience of a movie with intellect, observation or real creativity? Or did he just gave you the feeling that you are feeling correct? In other words: Can a critic be a good one when he almost never offends with something he feels? Maybe I'm wrong but this doc just talks about him by just saying he was a good one. Which is more or less exactly what Ebert did.
Rated 30 Mar 2015
senseisensei
Rated 27 May 2015
70
36th
Love you, Roger.
Rated 27 May 2015
omgfridgeomgfridge
Rated 05 May 2015
7
64th
Tremendous human being and probably someone we all find inspiring here. I feel ashamed saying that its a study that would probably benefit post-humously. Ebert delivered many inspired reviews that even reached someone as far as across the globe (as me).
Rated 05 May 2015
montycircusMontyCircus
Rated 25 Jan 2015
60
69th
Depressing and I was underwhelmed. It's not a great film, it's much too slight and isn't "in depth" at all. But at the same time got me interested in reading his books, etc. Ebert was always the only movie reviews I cared to read and his decline and death were sad for me. I rarely say this, but a biopic would have been much more interesting. I didn't like that they spent so much time on his sickness that he didn't get until he was 60!
Rated 25 Jan 2015
seethruskinSeethruskin
Rated 18 Sep 2015
3
24th
Much like his reviews it's easy to digest and forget about an hour after.
Rated 18 Sep 2015
obdurateObdurate
Rated 09 Jul 2014
75
54th
A compelling documentary about a man who did a lot for criticism. It does a good job of painting Roger as an actual human being, with his pros and cons, and I always choke up when they talk about his relationship with Siskel. R.I.P. Roger.
Rated 09 Jul 2014
twincinematwincinema
Rated 28 Jul 2014
80
75th
Why did no one warn me about the final thirty minutes? Oh man. That was tough.
Rated 28 Jul 2014
filmfreak88filmfreak88
Rated 19 Feb 2015
80
78th
It's hard for me to judge this documentary film objectively. Roger Ebert was instrumental in my transformation from a casual moviegoer to a fierce lover of cinema. Cried my eyes out.
Rated 19 Feb 2015
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 07 Jan 2015
87
91st
A wonderful look at a man that most of us love and miss. Steve James never misses, and he delivers another great piece of work.
Rated 07 Jan 2015
hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 30 Mar 2015
83
95th
Poignant and point blank ,both in his current situation and his past, this turns into a fascinating biography of the most well known critic working. The pieces with Siskel were painfully contentious and the dignity he had until the end was painfully impressive.
Rated 30 Mar 2015
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 26 Jul 2014
76
58th
Ebert! Chicago! Movies! Life?
Rated 26 Jul 2014
theescapistTheEscapist
Rated 14 Aug 2015
46
4th
Bad documentary. Didn't enjoy this at all and also didn't feel like I learned anything from it, even though I hardly knew a thing about Roger Ebert. After watching this documentary I don't understand why he was so important or special. I am certain there are far more interesting life stories out there, honestly I can't really recommend this documentary on any level. Definitely not for me.
Rated 14 Aug 2015
okkervilOkkervil
Rated 25 Apr 2015
80
84th
Beautiful, poignant and genuinely interesting biographical documentary. I don't stand out as particularly much of an Ebert fan, but found this both enlightening and touching; and enjoyed finding out about Ebert the man, rather than just the critic.
Rated 25 Apr 2015
doughbarondoughbaron
Rated 05 Jul 2014
77
71st
Covering the entire life of a man as prolific and popular as Roger Ebert is dangerous territory for a documentary, but Life Itself manages to capture the bigger picture while remaining focused on all the smaller moments that make everyone human. You couldn't ask for a much better film about someone who devoted his life to the movies.
Rated 05 Jul 2014
oldgoatoldgoat
Rated 10 Mar 2015
74
62nd
My nostalgia and attachment for ebert makes me want to overrate this greatly. There's some great stuff here but as a documentary the movie hits a number of dead spots to balance out the great moments and a real lack of focus keeping the movie just in the good range. I still read ebert's reviews for anything I saw that was made before his death hoping it's up there.
Rated 10 Mar 2015
ofterdingenOfterdingen
Rated 26 Nov 2018
60
51st
Interesting but schmaltzy.
Rated 26 Nov 2018
prestobixPrestoBix
Rated 19 Nov 2018
88
85th
Seen 2x
Rated 19 Nov 2018
yiannosYiannos
Rated 08 Aug 2019
58
42nd
Regardless of what you think of Ebert, James does a decent job of portraying him in a positive and sympathetic light without shying away from his obvious personality flaws. It's hard not to admire his zest for life despite being grossly disfigured and cancer ridden in his later years. His prickly relationship with Siskel, the superior critic, is the most interesting part of this documentary and probably should have been the focus, but it gives you a sense of the man, for better or worse.
Rated 08 Aug 2019
whotempwhotemp
Rated 30 May 2017
75
41st
Went in with the expectation of learning more about his relationship with movies and his earlier life but I ended up learning about the end of his life. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable 2 hours and left me hoping for more. I need to start reading his reviews.
Rated 30 May 2017
slrsoapboxSlrSoapbox
Rated 23 Jul 2015
90
92nd
Poignant and beautiful, which is exactly what I expected. I wanted to be Roger Ebert when I was a kid, and I cried when I first heard about his death. This documentary gave me a second chance to say goodbye.
Rated 23 Jul 2015
akatemossfanAKateMossFan
Rated 26 Dec 2021
1
8th
tjekhovTjekhov
Rated 29 Jul 2015
50
40th
ho ho ho, ho-overrated. Too pathetic...
Rated 29 Jul 2015
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 17 Jun 2016
5
93rd
A deep insight into the personal and professional history of one of the 20th century's great writers, a popularizer of critical thought and one of cinema's most valuable representatives. All the more heartfelt and emotional because it was filmed while Ebert was knowingly facing imminent death, and in the months immediately after.
Rated 17 Jun 2016
bojanglesBojangles
Rated 18 Aug 2014
75
85th
Movies are...a machine that generates empathy.
Rated 18 Aug 2014
funkyastroFunkyAstro
Rated 24 Apr 2015
85
86th
Life Itself has all the components of a great bio-pic and the timing which it was done is what makes it stand out. At first I thought the idea of filming a biography while you're still alive was a little contentious but it actually works wonderfully in this case as we see Roger on the brink of death grasping to life. It's uplifting to see a man so joyful throughout, and for that any man would be lucky to have Chaz as a wife. Rest in peace Mr Ebert. You were an inspiration and magnificent talent.
Rated 24 Apr 2015
vengefulkbmVengefulKBM
Rated 25 Mar 2015
85
85th
A very moving tribute to a great man that keeps his spirit alive without compromising any of the cold hard facts to do so. It's a tough watch, but also an essential one for anybody whose life Ebert touched.
Rated 25 Mar 2015
hellsditchhellsditch
Rated 26 Jul 2014
86
87th
I usually try to max out the space give in these reviews, but best to keep it simple here. Beautiful, touching...a film worthy of the man.
Rated 26 Jul 2014
patmanpatman
Rated 10 Mar 2015
64
56th
A warmhearted and cheerful view on Eberts intricate life and it dares to be very honest about his personal struggles. James has taken the right approach with this one, he got the right people with interesting stories and has given a lot of time to Eberts special relationship with Siskel. He succeeds in gaining empathy for Ebert as a character although he's portrayed as "not that nice" in his younger years, but his effect on other people and the wit he has during his own struggle is compelling.
Rated 10 Mar 2015
ludvigsenludvigsen
Rated 15 Jul 2014
80
86th
Crisscrossing and juggling elegantly between a vibrant life lived and a struggling life ending, few docs manages to cover so much ground and have it all feel relevant. Clue's in the title. Two thumbs up.
Rated 15 Jul 2014
keebsgsKeebsGS
Rated 18 Dec 2014
90
59th
I love Roger Ebert
Rated 18 Dec 2014
jenner1407jenner1407
Rated 19 Jan 2015
83
63rd
Touching documentary that celebrates one (very important, sometimes-irksome, always empathetic) man's love affair with film. Whether or not you liked Ebert or agreed with his reviews, you're probably missing a piece of your soul if you don't walk away from this with just a little more love for the man and the movies.
Rated 19 Jan 2015
wezzoWezzo
Rated 28 Jul 2014
95
93rd
A powerful life story of a powerful man, blending contemporary footage with talking heads and archive material smoothly and effectively. I guess it's a little shapeless at times, but it's shot through with so much passion and love for its subject that it matters not a jot, a two-hour audiovisual shrine to a critic - a person - that so many respected and adored. more @ lbxd
Rated 28 Jul 2014
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 03 Apr 2015
76
80th
Beautiful, sad, funny, informative, reflective. Obviously its subject is something many of us Critickers will care about, but it's a really fascinating documentary that would capture anybody's attention, movie buff or not.
Rated 03 Apr 2015
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 20 Apr 2015
40
32nd
This documentary made me sad. It seems like a pitiful last remembrance for a beloved movie critic. It was so very sad to see his physical state in the last stages of his life. Also a bit too much information about the somewhat less than admirable aspects of his personal life except that I did enjoy seeing his wife. I would rather remember him for the many great and entertaining reviews that I enjoyed over the years than for the disturbing images provided in this movie.
Rated 20 Apr 2015
randallodimRandallODim
Rated 31 Oct 2014
85
77th
A wonderful movie about the ability of film to bring us just a little bit closer together, and of the lows and highs that make up a life.
Rated 31 Oct 2014
ladymcdeathladymcdeath
Rated 11 Apr 2015
90
90th
If you gave this under 80 you have no soul.
Rated 11 Apr 2015
vorpalkittenVorpalKitten
Rated 27 Dec 2014
0
3rd
Documentaries really aren't my thing.
Rated 27 Dec 2014
shellishShellish
Rated 13 Mar 2015
80
76th
Such a sweet and loving portrait of a kind man. Well done, and without remorse in showing the reality of life, something I believe Ebert would approve of when dealing with subject matter such as loss and cancer.
Rated 13 Mar 2015
trixrabbiTrixRabbi
Rated 16 Jul 2014
84
86th
Gorgeous film that lives up to it's title. A complete portrait of a man, one that is ultimately celebratory, but rich and full. Rather than dwell on death, the film ends in a Fellini-esque carnival, celebrating that Ebert lived. He never sacrificed reality for the films he loved, but rather, they reaffirmed him, as they do for all of us.
Rated 16 Jul 2014
florvdeFlorVdE
Rated 21 Nov 2015
3
64th
Affecting, but very sentimental. Would have enjoyed more focus on his writing, less on his personal life and tv appearances.
Rated 21 Nov 2015
disconnecteddisconnected
Rated 04 Feb 2015
75
65th
A moving tribute to Roger Ebert - informative, engaging, and from the heart. I didn't know that he had that entrepreneurial spirit early in his career, taking it upon himself to run that newspaper.
Rated 04 Feb 2015
sirsassSirSass
Rated 08 May 2017
80
92nd
Welp time to watch Siskel and Ebert argue for over an hour on YouTube....again.
Rated 08 May 2017
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 13 Feb 2016
80
95th
Awesome.
Rated 13 Feb 2016
duderDuder
Rated 15 Jun 2016
70
75th
Both the character and the documentary is really really good. I had never liked Ebert in the past for some prejudiced reasons and I regret it now. Great life and a great documentary to make us see it. It's raw and doesn't pull back from its punches. I laughed out loud and I literrally cried and thoroughly enjoyed this ride. Great film.
Rated 15 Jun 2016
actionbergActionberg
Rated 27 Feb 2015
60
28th
I love Roger Ebert enough that the subject could draw me through the picture's duration, but in terms of form it's an utterly cut-and-dry "Great Man" style documentary. Time would have been better spent just going back and reading or watching his work. Herzog and Morris show up in the film to pay their respects and all I could think was "Why couldn't one of them make this film?" Instead it's just an unfocused, dry info-dump. The subject deserved a braver style of filmmaking.
Rated 27 Feb 2015
jacoiiiJacoIII
Rated 27 May 2015
46
94th
An extremely hard movie for me to watch. Having just recently lost my grandmother, I found myself seeing so much of her life in Ebert's. The immense, unstoppable love of a person who truly only wants the best for the world. How that love is expressed through a desire to communicate and educate without pretension or condescension. The firm belief that through vigorous consumption of art and culture we can bridge divides, both external and internal. Beautiful.
Rated 27 May 2015
myfavchordsmyfavchords
Rated 08 Jun 2015
82
84th
This is an interesting look at the life of Roger Ebert. He had a really interesting life with a sad ending. I highly recommend this documentary for anyone who is a fan of films.
Rated 08 Jun 2015
michaelsmichaels
Rated 06 Jul 2015
80
79th
Thumbs up!
Rated 06 Jul 2015
entertainmeEntertainMe
Rated 06 Jan 2015
82
80th
Part commendably honest biography, part brutally honest story about decrepitude, death and acceptance. Unlike in most documentaries we are actually shown the subject in his complexity. I would have liked to see the 'critical rivalry' aspects of his career treated with a little less flippancy.
Rated 06 Jan 2015
mrkbinghammrkbingham
Rated 21 Jul 2014
85
56th
A biopic of the life of legendary Roger Ebert. Painful, heartfelt, and endearing. A must see for any one who considers themself even an amateur critic.
Rated 21 Jul 2014
neonmanNeonman
Rated 29 Jan 2015
77
56th
Almost critic-proof not only because it's about one of the most loved film critics ever, but it's also an inspiring tribute to his compassion and dedication, and also a harrowing and confronting look at his illness -- if I was in his position, I wouldn't be even half as optimistic about it as he was.
Rated 29 Jan 2015
cowfrappecowfrappe
Rated 06 Jul 2015
71
61st
Ebert was a great critic with a fascinating story; this documentary is solid but not as great as it could or should have been. It is wildly formulaic in its first half, with moments of surprise and emotion peeking through in its latter act.
Rated 06 Jul 2015

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