Let me tell you guys a story. As a kid, I watched and adored Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I watched it every single morning right after Sesame Street. A lot of kids, during play time, like to emulate things they see on television. Some kids play Superman. Some kids play soldier. Some kids play cowboys and Indians. I played... Mr. Rogers. Curious, I know. You may be wondering to yourself just exactly HOW does one PLAY Mr. Rogers? So... here's how. My grandparents had a large walk-in closet in their house. They had two bars with which they would hang their clothes. One was up at normal height for adults to peruse their apparel. The other was at the height normal for a four or five year old (my grandmother was not a tall lady). Very near to the ground. This bar hung items like coats, and jackets, and... sweaters. Below this bar of sweaters and winter-wear, was an incalculable amount of shoes and sneakers. So, what I would do, every time (seriously every time) I went over to my grandparents' house, I would enter with my own clothes, my own jacket, and my own shoes and begin singing the theme song just as the real Mr. Rogers does in the intro of every episode. ("It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor... would you be mine? Could you be mine?...) As I sang, I'd remove my jacket and replace it with one of my grandfather's sweaters. ("It's a neighborly day in this beautywood, and neighborly day for a beauty. Would you be mine? Could you be mine?...) Then off came my shoes in favor of my grandmother's bright and colorful sneakers. I'd turn off the light to the closet and, with the shoes, ramble out to the couch and tie them onto my feet JUST as he does in the intro. Until finally, I wind up sitting on my grandmother's couch finishing the song to no one ("Won't you please? Please won't you be... my neighbor?").
In a simple television show that spanned nearly forty years... Mr. Fred Rogers touched the lives of MILLIONS of children. Anyone my age would've been around the last generation of kids to have been moved by him, but certainly anyone older will remember sitting down in front of the television and learning about some social issue from the kindest most gentle soul ever to walk the earth. Then traveling with the Trolley to the Land of Make Believe to meet with Daniel and King Friday and Lady Elaine, et al. Without really knowing WHY... Mr. Rogers had an impact on my life. I thought that impact was just a catchy song that involved changing into sweaters and sneakers. But once the song was over, I would emulate an episode of Mr. Rogers. I would "discuss social issues" with my fake audience. I'd get mail from my imaginary Mr. McFeely. I'd exchange words with my fake Trolley. What I didn't realize is that by just emulating Mr. Rogers I was subconsciously understanding what he was trying to tell me. By regurgitating his message that everyone is loved and everyone matters and every single child on the planet is special... it was being retained somewhere in the back of my brain and, even slightly, molding me into a better person than I could've been. This one man... on a freakin' television show.
This is less of a review of Won't You Be My Neighbor and more along the lines of accentuating what the movie showcases so well... that Mr. Rogers was a unique individual. He genuinely loved and cared about children. He genuinely loved and cared about PEOPLE. He genuinely believed that every person was special and had something unique to offer the world as long as there's love at the center of their actions. This is what the documentary illustrates. And no, it doesn't try and deify Rogers, but it does highlight his undying compassion for the human spirit and especially children. It's a beautiful documentary that had tears careening down my cheeks for nearly 90 solid minutes. It's an honest movie that brings into light the motivations behind Rogers' actions and shows. I knew he sometimes took risks with what he would discuss with children, but I didn't realize the depth to which he took a stand on issues during times of country-wide division. Yes, the man was an ordained minister and devoted his life to God. But unlike a lot of religious leaders, he didn't peddle his religion onto people and especially onto children. He took all of the aspects of Christianity that teaches people to just be good and spread that message instead. Make the right choices... keep hate out of your heart... and accept everyone for who they are, and you will live a happy life.
This documentary is exquisite and spreads a message of pure love that literally everyone needs right now. Be warned, it will break you down to a wailing infant because you probably already have it in your mind that Mr. Rogers was a kind soul... but to witness the kindness and the tenderness and the sheer compassion he has for any and all people looking for the helpers is so utterly beautiful there's no real way to hold the tears back. Bring crates of Kleenex.
After leaving the theater, and driving home, my fiancé and I discussed the film and tried to speculate on how Mr. Rogers would've dealt with what's happening in our country. What would he say to us to ease our sorrow and give us just a crumb of comfort? How would he react to innocent children being ripped from their families? Would this be the thing that finally broke his spirit? A man who would do so much good in this world, but every time he got us to take a step forward, the evil of the world took it ten steps backward? During his memorial service after he died, there were actual protestors outside declaring that Rogers was burning in hell and "God Hates Fags". There's so much hate in this world that the ONE PERSON (well, him and probably Tom Hanks) who should've been immune to any of that hate... had protestors outside his memorial... including children. I don't know if this is what would've broken Rogers... or if the man could even be broken. But I do know, that right now, it feels like we need him more than ever. But, if we can't have him, thankfully we have a film that showcases his love and compassion for humankind, and all we can do is try to be a little bit more like Fred.
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