I honestly do not understand the comments/reviews / opinions that want to degrade this piece of art as some kind of vanity piece or justification or attempt to create a false narrative buy a narcissist.
So let's start with the obvious stuff. It takes a certain amount of narcissism to even have the confidence to attempt to be successful in an industry that is 100% based on outside opinions of your performance. It is a completely nother level of narcissism to actually be successful at said industry and push past everything in your sphere saying it is impossible odds, but knowing that they are wrong and you are right and actually be successful. That word narcissism is treated like a character flaw. But the mass majority of truly successful people on the planet possess it. Val Kilmer was not just successful at it but massively so.
Next let's examine the fact that integrity and valuing his art form over certain industry hierarchies or monitery factors enabled those who did value them over integrity sow a reputation for being difficult to handle. Guess what. People who don't have integrity or share your value system view you as difficult if you actually do have the integrity to stand by your principles. When you don't, you end up as a very talented actor doing anything for money like Nicholas Cage.
This is all happened before the internet and artists had a voice of their own capable of reaching the world , only needing an internet connection. The only side you got to hear back then was the side either willing to pay for it or willing to print the scandalous to sell ad space.
Then to top it off you take a man who at one time was maybe not the biggest box office draw, but within smelling distance of the Pinnacle. A man who nobody denies was a chameleon who could sink into any role and be convincing. An artist that most people still consider a mystery because fame was not the goal. A true artist. You take that man at the absolute most vulnerable time of his life, quite literally knocking on heaven's door, give him a voice to share his life and his answers to the mystery that he is. Then you want to say it is because of vanity? You seriously have self-confidence issues of your own.
Coming out of watching this and being completely moved, my only negative thought is the disappointment of not being able to see his One Man show based on The Life and times of Mark Twain. What footage of it they were able to include looked totally encapsulating and had it ever made it to Broadway I would put good money on the fact that it would have been a Tony winner.
So let's start with the obvious stuff. It takes a certain amount of narcissism to even have the confidence to attempt to be successful in an industry that is 100% based on outside opinions of your performance. It is a completely nother level of narcissism to actually be successful at said industry and push past everything in your sphere saying it is impossible odds, but knowing that they are wrong and you are right and actually be successful. That word narcissism is treated like a character flaw. But the mass majority of truly successful people on the planet possess it. Val Kilmer was not just successful at it but massively so.
Next let's examine the fact that integrity and valuing his art form over certain industry hierarchies or monitery factors enabled those who did value them over integrity sow a reputation for being difficult to handle. Guess what. People who don't have integrity or share your value system view you as difficult if you actually do have the integrity to stand by your principles. When you don't, you end up as a very talented actor doing anything for money like Nicholas Cage.
This is all happened before the internet and artists had a voice of their own capable of reaching the world , only needing an internet connection. The only side you got to hear back then was the side either willing to pay for it or willing to print the scandalous to sell ad space.
Then to top it off you take a man who at one time was maybe not the biggest box office draw, but within smelling distance of the Pinnacle. A man who nobody denies was a chameleon who could sink into any role and be convincing. An artist that most people still consider a mystery because fame was not the goal. A true artist. You take that man at the absolute most vulnerable time of his life, quite literally knocking on heaven's door, give him a voice to share his life and his answers to the mystery that he is. Then you want to say it is because of vanity? You seriously have self-confidence issues of your own.
Coming out of watching this and being completely moved, my only negative thought is the disappointment of not being able to see his One Man show based on The Life and times of Mark Twain. What footage of it they were able to include looked totally encapsulating and had it ever made it to Broadway I would put good money on the fact that it would have been a Tony winner.