Christopher Reeve will forever be remembered as the face of the Man of Steel, yes, despite the many well-known actors who have donned the big blue cape in his wake. But in this stirring, intimate documentary premiering only in theaters, the lesser known story of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons is revealed, and it’s a story that’s far more complex and dramatic than any role he could have played.
Weaving together rare archival footage, interviews with his three kids and close friends, and Reeve’s own personal reflections, filmmakers Peter Ettedgui and Ian Bonhôte’s have created an ultimately inspiring portrait of a man and a family who refused to be defined by tragedy.
It was a 1995 horseback riding accident that left the then 42-year-old paralyzed from the neck down, and the man best known for impossible physical feats was suddenly left to breathe from a ventilator. He didn’t know the extent of the everyday challenges until he was faced with them. And then he didn’t know if he could go on.
What the documentary captures so powerfully is how he was able to rise up from the devastation of his accident and embrace a new life and purpose, not just surviving but thriving as he focused on becoming a crusader for disability rights. We see Reeve’s speech at the 1996 Democratic National Convention, as he passionately argues for disability rights and spinal cord research. We see how the moment helped transform him into a symbol of hope, sparking a shift in the conversation as he challenged the public to see those with disabilities not as victims, but as individuals with dignity and strength.
Few peoples lives encapsulate such stark contrasts, but in flashbacks to Reeve’s early life, we see just how focused he was on all things physical, from competitive hockey to skiing to lifting massive weights to transform himself into the larger than life specimen who would grace the DC Comics’ posters for eternity.
They don’t teach superhero stunts at Juilliard, which makes the revelations about his earlier life especially fascinating. We learn that while he took an early interest in theater, landing a few roles in professional productions as a kid, it was his skills as a piano prodigy that earned him acceptance into Juilliard — the school that brought us Marvin Hamlisch, Miles Davis, and Yo Yo Ma. And somehow, while toiling away at the piano at 23, he got the biggest break a young theater actor could possibly imagine: a role in a major Broadway production starring Katherine Hepburn, A Matter of Gravity.
In just two years, Reeve would defy gravity and his planned career as a Juilliard-trained pianist when he was cast in the biggest of the big screen roles. Warner Bros. had found their perfect Clark Kent, launching him into the stratosphere of international fame.
The first 25 years of his life would be an astounding story in and of itself, a meteoric rise few could have predicted or imagined. But Super/Man becomes something more profound when it pivots to focus on the dramatic turn of his life and how it shaped his personal relationships. A much more human portrait of Reeve starts to emerge; he was not without flaws, we learn, as his oldest son shares some of his own recollections.
What stands out in all of the personal recollections is that despite the whirlwind of celebrity that surrounded his life, he did manage to form deep and genuine bonds, and he did manage to change. His life in film and then as an advocate brought him into contact with many well-known people, and one particularly touching highlight is his friendship with Robin Williams, who played a significant role in Reeve’s life after his accident.
What brings him back to life, more than the famous friends and the archival film footage, are candid home movies and interviews with his children. His youngest, Will, was just four when his dad had his accident, but we see how a wheelchair-bound Reeve still manages to teach his son how to ride a bike. The boy was only 11 when his father passed suddenly of heart failure, and in a gut-wrenching turn of events, his mother Dana — the rock through all the tumult of their lives after the accident — would be diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Will ultimately lost both of his parents by the time he was 13, leaving him to be raised by their best friends, and another heartbreaking part of this story instead becomes part of what the “man of steel” has left us with. Will and his two older siblings, Alexandra and Matt, have found ways to continue their parents’ legacy, including through the Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation, which has funded $140 million in research and support for people affected by spinal cord injuries.
While Super/Man can at times feel like hagiography, it gets to something deeper. It’s a very personal story about perseverance, a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to overcome the most insurmountable obstacles.
For those who grew up watching Reeve on the big screen, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story can be a powerful experience. For younger generations who don’t remember him, it’s a story of a man who became a hero, and then redefined the very notion of one.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story arrives in theaters nationwide on October 12th. It will be available to stream on Max later this year.
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