Jim Henson: Idea Man – A Solid Portrait of a Great Artist

Jim Henson: Idea Man is the latest Disney+ documentary about the life and career of Jim Henson, a man most known his creation of The Muppets. It’s nice to finally see Henson get the respect he deserves and to the film’s credit, its a solid portrayal of his life and career. For those familiar with Henson and his life, the film doesn’t necessarily tread new ground but for those looking to learn more about Henson, this is a wonderful place to start, if only to experience how expansive and diverse his filmography was. For the most part, it is a really well done documentary directed by veteran filmmaker and industry favorite Ron Howard. Boasting a solid pace, the film features a series of insightful interviews with the people prominent people close to Henson.

As a whole, Jim Henson: Idea Man is unambitious, however, a limited docuseries exploring the dynamics of Henson’s life and his relationships would have benefited it significantly. As a result, promising sections of the film are simply brushed by as the film failed to be explored nearly as deeply as they should have. Above all else, Howard is just a strong storyteller. Here, he takes the story of Henson’s life and makes into more of a visual one in the way he uses transitions between footage and interviews. Using plenty of quick cuts, audiences will see lots of information coming to you at once. Meanwhile, Howard uses one of Henson’s early short films, Time Piece, as a running motif throughout. In the film, Henson feels like he is running out of time, a reflection of him feeling like he is running out of time in real life as well. This documentary uses the film to convey how his films so deeply reflected his own personal psyche, serving as a great little detail only someone like Howard would think of. It is only fitting since, being a documentary about Henson, whose films have possessed a similar type of manic energy that made them so iconic in the first place.

That being said, the story of Jim Henson continues to be inspiring and it is told well here. Henson’s contribution to cinema and his overall impact on the people around him can be felt so strongly all over the film. There is simply a lot of emotion to be had. For any fans of cinema and/or creative types, the film will surely resonate in one way or another. It’s amazing to see stories of successful creatives who have had their voices heard and this documentary highlights what a truly creative giant Henson was. Jim Henson: Idea Man is just a great documentary. It is a beautiful tribute to one of the most influential men in entertainment history and a documentary with passion and love poured into ever frame. While one can’t help but wish that the documentary was as ambitious as Henson’s many works, it is still a wonderful work that thankfully exists.

In the end, if this helps the next generation discover Jim Henson’s work at Sesame Street, The Muppets, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth just to name a few- well then, this documentary gets the job done.v

still courtesy of Disney

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Brett Schutt

toyboxd.com/