In an age when the summer blockbusters are Jurassic Park and super hero movies, I found my super hero in an unlikely place.
“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” is a new documentary about Mr. Fred Rogers and it is the perfect antidote to the political and social climate of America today.
Mr. Rogers was a constant in my childhood but it’s possible that I appreciate him more as an adult than I ever did back then. An ordained minister, Mr. Rogers built a career around the idea that television should be used as a tool for educating and constructively entertaining children.
This film is beautifully done. It offers insight into the program and the motivation behind it as well as his deep understanding of children. One of my favorite scenes is from the day he met Koko the Gorilla. I have long believed that animals are a far better judge of character than most humans and Koko loved Mr. Rogers. It was touching to see their interaction.
Another poignant moment came when Daniel Tiger tells his friend Lady Aberlin “Sometimes I wonder if I am a mistake.”
Lady Aberlin responds by telling Daniel that she likes him the way he is. This conversation occurs in song where Daniel sings a verse and then Lady Aberlin sings one. Then the two sing a duet where Daniel continues to express his doubts and Lady Aberlin continues to offer reassurance. It’s a beautiful expression of friendship and the importance of having someone to reassure us while we quietly doubt ourselves.
The documentary also covers criticism he received including from homophobes who condemned his tolerance of gays.
Remember his famous line?
“I like you as you are.”
That got him some criticism too.
Naysayers claimed that he created a generation of monsters because he taught them they don’t have to do anything to be liked or cared for. At his very core, Mr. Rogers believed that everyone should be loved and respected for simply being themselves. If you ask me, this remains a message that all people need to hear at every age.
One thing they didn’t really explain, but just touched on briefly, is his childhood. It seems he had an unhappy childhood and that it was the insecurities and the questions and the worries from his youth that made Mr. Rogers the man he became.
My only real complaint about the film is that it didn’t last longer. I’m not a film critic and will not attempt to review this one but would encourage you to see it for yourself.
A word to the wise – spending 90 minutes in the kind, quiet, gentle world of Mr. Rogers will make you even more dissatisfied with the current state of our world when you leave.
I can’t help but wonder how he would react to our world today and how different things would be if this generation of children had been brought up with him. The television show was not just a tv show or a job for Fred Rogers. It was a way of life, it was his ministry, it was his reason for being here.
Go see it. And I would be remiss if I didn’t ask – won’t you be my neighbor?