Life Itself (2014)
93%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 4 nominations
Rich in detail and warmly affectionate, Life Itself offers a joyful yet poignant tribute to a critical cinematic legacy.
Life Itself is a film that will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate the life of Roger Ebert. It’s like a love letter to the late film critic, showcasing his passion for movies and his impact on the industry. Even if you’re not a die-hard fan of Ebert, you’ll still find yourself invested in his story and moved by his legacy. Plus, it’s always fun to see clips of classic movies and hear Ebert’s witty commentary. Two thumbs up for Life Itself!
Production Company(ies)
Film Nation Entertainment, Nostromo Pictures, Temple Hill Entertainment,
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language including sexual references, some violent images and brief drug use
Year of Release
2018
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 0m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 4, 2014 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2015
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Roger Ebert, film critic, alcoholism, rivalry, Gene Siskel, Steve James, Zak Piper, Garrett Basch, Magnolia Pictures, R rating, English, box office, budget, reviewed by Jason Bailey, David Stratton, Alissa Wilkinson, Bruce Kirkland, Jake Coyle, Ann Hornaday, Michael J Casey, Richard Crouse, Richard Propes, Allen Almachar, Mattie Lucas, Rachel Wagner, audience score, critic score, Let Him Go, Jodorowsky’s Dune, Best of Enemies, The Rider, Gleason, Thor: Love and Thunder, Marvel Movies, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Terminal List, H.P Lovecraft’s Witch House, 11th Hour Cleaning, Sh*t Saves the World, Stay Prayed Up, Final Caller, Girl in the Picture, Hello, Goodbye, Everything in Between, Confessions from the Hart, The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus, The Sea Beast, Moon, 66 Questions, Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel, The Road to Galena, Incantation, Dangerous Liaisons, Jewel, Warriors on the Field, Fair Play
Worldwide gross: $7,997,774
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $9,411,571
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,979
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,026,344
US/Canada gross: $4,102,648
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $4,827,889
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,820
US/Canada opening weekend: $2,123,463
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $2,498,836
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,181
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $10,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $11,767,738
Production budget ranking: 1,604
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $6,336,927
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$8,693,094
ROI to date (est.): -48%
ROI ranking: 1,679
Ava DuVernay – self
Steve James – Director
Zak Piper – Producer
Steve James – Producer
Garrett Basch – Producer
Director(s)
Steve James
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Zak Piper, Steve James, Garrett Basch
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (203) | Top Critics (68) | Fresh (198) | Rotten (5)
No film in the festival is as critic-friendly; watching it, I finally understood how football players must feel about ‘Brian’s Song’.
June 18, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
This is a sometimes painful but always inspiring tribute to one of the great members of our profession.
January 5, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
David Stratton
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Movies help us think about who we are and how we live together. And as a movie, Life Itself is a heartfelt, clear-eyed tribute to a master.
January 5, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Alissa Wilkinson
Christianity Today
TOP CRITIC
With Ebert’s blessing and encouragement, Life Itself is a warts-and-all look at how the son of an Illinois electrician and housewife became a prolific writer who spent 46 years as the film critic at the Chicago Sun Times.
January 5, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/5
Bruce Kirkland
Toronto Sun
TOP CRITIC
What comes through most in Life Itself, a film named after Ebert’s 2011 memoir, is his great, open-minded vigor.
January 5, 2015
Jake Coyle
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
If you aren’t moved by Life Itself, you ought to have your heart examined.
January 5, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Two thumbs up.
June 14, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Michael J. Casey
Boulder Weekly
Never shies away from the difficult parts of the story. Moments of frustration and pain are included but ultimately the doc is a wake for the late film critic. Stories are shared, secrets are told and a life is celebrated.
February 1, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
Life Itself is a reminder, I suppose, that when the human spirit lives on we never really lose our voice.
September 14, 2020 | Rating: 4.0/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
A heartfelt exploration of a man who opened film up for the world.
July 20, 2020 | Rating: A
Allen Almachar
The MacGuffin
Life Itself is not a film of mourning, it is a film of celebration. It is not a lionization, it is an exploration. But most importantly I think it is a film that Roger would be proud of.
July 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)
I loved this movie… partly because I loved Roger.
June 28, 2019
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)…
Plot
As a young New York couple goes from college romance to marriage and the birth of their first child, the unexpected twists of their journey create reverberations that echo over continents and through lifetimes in Life Itself. Director and writer Dan Fogelman (“This Is Us”) examines the perils and rewards of everyday life in a multi-generational saga featuring an international ensemble including Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Olivia Cooke, Sergio Peris- Mencheta, Laia Costa, Alex Monner and Mandy Patinkin. Set in New York City and Carmona, Spain, Life Itself celebrates the human condition and all of its complications with humor, poignancy and love.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Life Itself is a documentary about film critic Roger Ebert, directed by Steve James and produced by Zak Piper, Steve James, and Garrett Basch.
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