"Won’t You Be My Neighbor” is the feel-good tribute that Fred Rogers deserves. This documentary comes at a time when our society needs it the most. On the surface, it tells the story of an aspiring Presbyterian minister who became a beloved children’s television host but deep down, this is an exploration of the ideals that can get our society back on track. We are a world searching for answers but Mr. Rogers has been giving us the keys to a better world all along: Love and accept everyone, put education first, and teach morality to our children. Documentarians often choose a subject matter and put their own flashy spin on it. Often times, the subject is less important than the way that it is told. This is not the case for Morgan Neville, who steps to the side and allows this story to speak for itself. The film captures the selflessness of Fred Rogers, whose main motivation for getting into television was to fix the way that children’s programming addresses its audience. He decided that children need someone to remind them that they are special and that they need to treat others with respect. It’s as if he predicted our modern downfall of family life where children learn their morality from the media instead of their parents. “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” doesn’t seem too innovative because we are so familiar with it but it’s amazing to see how he created this concept from nothing. His songs, puppeteering, and Neighborhood of Make-Believe reached kids in a way that they’d never been reached. He slowed down the action and allowed kids to think as they learned. His role eventually grew beyond the show as he became a paternal figure that everybody looked to during national tragedies. He helped children to understand divorce, segregation, and even the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. One of his most famous moments came when he testified in a Senate hearing to secure funding for PBS, which Neville plays in its entirety and will likely have you in tears. The format of the episodes is quite smart as he would introduce a major theme in his home and then further explore that theme through the Make-Believe characters. Rogers’ life becomes three-dimensional through interviews with his family and friends including his wife Joanne, sons John and Jim, Mr. McFeely, Officer Clement, Yo-Yo Ma, and musician Joe Negri. It has some more intimate moments like a discussion of how Rogers was homebound during middle school due to illness and bullying for his weight, and how this forced him to use his imagination with his toys. Also, archival footage of Fred explaining that he has an easier time telling people that he cares while acting Daniel Tiger. Fittingly, the documentary is woven together with animations of Daniel Tiger representing Rogers. I found it very interesting to hear Fred’s family express that Fred originally saw himself as Daniel but became more like King Friday XIII as he grew frustrated with society. I could have done without the segment about people speculating whether Rogers was gay and whether he ruined a generation by telling children that they are special. I appreciate that this was included to set the record straight about who Rogers truly was but it felt out of place in this heartwarming tribute about our beloved mentor. Mr. Rogers touched the majority of our lives in one way or another and it’s hard to believe that a documentary could help us to have a deeper appreciation for who he was and everything that he did for children. “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” is a must-see this awards season and will gain the recognition that it deserves with an Oscar win for Best Documentary. It has my vote!
[Pictured: Mr. Rogers broke down racial barriers with this subtle segment on his show]
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