Robert Downey Jr recalls late father's laughter and honors his 'outlaw-life approach' in Netflix docu 'Sr.'

Robert Downey Jr's 'Sr.' is an emotional tribute to late father. Is it Downey Jr's way of saying goodbye
Robert Downey Jr and Robert Downey Sr in Netflix's 'Sr.' (IMDb)
Robert Downey Jr and Robert Downey Sr in Netflix's 'Sr.' (IMDb)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A new Netflix movie, 'Sr.' directed by Chris Smith featuring Robert Downey Jr dropped its official trailer. It's a documentary exploring the relationship between Downey Jr and his father, Robert Downey Sr, who used to be a renowned filmmaker back in the day. In the trailer it is scoured how people generally know Downey Jr for iconic roles like 'Ironman' in the Marvel movies and 'Sherlock Holmes', however, most people don't remember much about the man who raised the 'Ironman' star.  In a snip bit of the trailer, Downey Jr is even seen asking his son "have you seen any of your grandpa's movies? They are awesome." The trailer tends to probe the funny, witty, and loving Downey household.

As the documentary was shot in the last few days of Downey Sr, it tends to make the trailer and all-in-all the movie which is about to be released – heartwarming. "It was this idea that films kind of brought us together and to this day it still does," said Downey Jr in the Netflix trailer that helps the viewers to simplify what bonded the father and son duo even more. "I just remember that cacophony of creativity, but mostly laughter," he added. 

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The trailer also gives the viewers a new unfiltered insight into Downey Jr being a son which has never been seen before. Regardless, the official synopsis of the film reads, "a lovingly irreverent portrait of the life, career and last days of maverick filmmaker Downey Sr, whose rebellious spirit infused decades of counterculture movie-making, widens the lens from Downey's art to the life with which it was deeply intertwined, including an intimate examination of his relationship with son Robert Downey Jr".

"The film truly honors Senior's nonlinear, outlaw-life approach, including capturing his decision to embark on his own concurrent and final film project," the synopsis adds.

Downey Sr was known for writing and directing the underground film Putney Swope, a satire on the New York Madison Avenue advertising world. Unfortunately, Downey Sr died of complications from Parkinson's disease in his sleep at his home in Manhattan, in July 2021, 13 days after his 85th birthday thus this feels like a real-life depiction of Downey Jr's Tony Stark when he went back in time during 'Avengers: Endgame' where he met his father and said goodbye. Is it Downey Jr's way of saying goodbye? We are not sure. 

The film is produced by Downey Jr, who also appears as one of its central subjects. Given the familial nature of the project, this is less of an objective documentary than it is an up-close-and-personal chronicle of two generations coming together. It combines freshly-shot footage with that of old family films and archival material. It’s a stirring idea and then when you put ‘Father And Son’ over the top of it, it feels all the more emotionally potent.

Having debuted at film festivals earlier in the year, 'Sr.' is heading into select cinemas from 18 November, and will be streaming on Netflix from December 2. You can watch the trailer of Netflix's 'Sr.' below.



 

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