Profoundly moving 'Super/Man' depicts Christopher Reeve's real life courage
A fine display of a movie star giving a damn with the worst predicament, and helping the world in the process.
Great documentaries work over viewers because they look and sound like a movie, except everything seen on screen happens for real and impacts the characters and their lives. When Christopher Reeve, the actor who showed audiences that a man could fly in Superman, took a fall off a horse during a competition, his life changed forever and the reach of a movie star was extended. When it would have been easy to crawl into a hole after an awful and very public injury, Reeve became a hero in real life by spreading awareness about spinal cord injuries.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, directed by Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui, makes a dent by showing you the entire Reeve family and the connections that helped save his life. From his sons Matthew and Will to his ex-wife Gae Exton and soul mate Dana Reeve, Christopher’s recovery is examined from multiple viewpoints and gathers its emotional weight from their interviews. Dana reminding Christopher after his injury that he was still that guy and that she loved him gave him the push to keep going.
The documentary pulls viewers back to the rise of Reeve’s profile around the launch of Richard Donner’s classic, Hollywood-altering 1978 film that grossed over $430 million and turned its leading man into a star. Through interviews with friends Susan Sarandon and Jeff Daniels, we’re treated to endearing stories and memories from Reeve’s pre-Superman career, such as fellow actor William Hurt urging him not to take the comic book role because it would be selling out from an artist’s perspective while Daniels was happy for his pal.
Super/Man doesn’t shy away from the complicated aspects of Reeve’s past, particularly the troubling childhood for Christopher and his chaotic family. When he first told his father, a scholarly man who was hard to please, that he had gotten the big part, the elder Reeve initially was over the moon. That was until he discovered it wasn’t a relatively unknown play with Superman in the title, but a comic book adaptation that didn’t meet the aristocrat’s standards.
The negative part came after the movie became a phenomenon and produced three sequels. All they did was drain the creative willpower from the star and cornered him into a certain role, as the expected audience reaction was to ignore Reeve (a classically trained actor) in any role except for the super-strong alien who could fly. Being typecast was a thing back then for stars like Reeve, Sylvester Stallone, and anyone who played the same role four or more times.
Super/Man thankfully examines the longtime friendship between Reeve and Robin Williams, something I had no idea was as strong as oak. This wasn’t a friendly “stay in touch” type friendship, but more like two fellas who gave each other a will to live during their worst moments. Right after the deadly accident that brought his acting career to a halt, it was Williams who jokingly entered Reeve’s hospital room acting as a Russian proctologist.
Williams and his wife supported Dana and Christopher during his recovery, paying for first-class chefs and being there for any other assistance. Why do it? For Williams, who was quietly battling his demons, it was a will to help others and keep his darkness at bay. In one of the most tearful lines from the film, Glenn Close notes how Williams would be alive today if Reeve were still around. That’s how strong their friendship was, something Bonhote and Ettedgui bring to light with their documentary.
It’s a very moving film, profound as my maverick film critic colleague Lynn Venhaus noted in her excellent review. In a brisk 104 minutes, we are given a multi-faceted story about how one of the most well-known movie stars on the planet used its worst moment to commence a legacy that carries on today through Will, Matthew, and his daughter, Alexandra. The foundation has raised millions of dollars, and given thousands a stronger will when confronted with such a limiting condition.
Reeve was, and with no disrespect to our Cavillness, still is Superman. Since Henry didn’t get four movies, Christopher still holds the official title for the true Kal-El. What helps cement that title is how he used the fictional comic book title to give him strength to keep going, which made him stronger than ever.
At their best, a documentary does the same thing as a fictional movie: Enlighten us, build empathy, and perhaps entertain a subject or topic that hasn’t been fully examined yet. Christopher Reeve’s incredible story was long overdue. Instead of all these different Supermans on screens big and small, it’s about time the OG stood up and showed us his superpower.
Don’t miss this one. If I had a #1 film in 2024, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story fits the bill. It’s currently streaming on Max.