I Am Chris Farley
| I Am Chris Farley | |
|---|---|
| Directed by |
Brent Hodge Derik Murray |
| Produced by |
Derik Murray Kevin Farley Tim Gamble Paul Gertz Robert Pirooz David Reeder |
| Written by | Steve Burgess |
| Starring |
David Spade Bo Derek Bob Odenkirk Molly Shannon Tom Arnold Adam Sandler Mike Myers Lorne Michaels Chris Farley (archive footage) |
| Cinematography |
Brent Hodge Shaun Lawless |
| Edited by |
JR Mackie Brent Hodge |
Production company |
Network Entertainment |
| Distributed by |
Virgil Films Spike TV (TV premiere) |
Release dates | August 10, 2015 (United States) |
Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country |
United States Canada |
| Language | English |
I Am Chris Farley is a 2015 documentary film based on the life of comedian and actor Chris Farley, co-directed by Brent Hodge of Hodgee Films and Derik Murray (who also produced) of Network Entertainment. The production features interviews with numerous actors, comedians and others who worked with Farley during his career.[1]
Premise
A documentary on the life of comedian Chris Farley.
Featured cast of subjects
- Kevin Farley
- John P. Farley
- Christina Applegate
- Tom Arnold
- Dan Aykroyd
- Lorri Bagley
- Bo Derek
- Pat Finn
- Jon Lovitz
- Lorne Michaels
- Jay Mohr
- Mike Myers
- Bob Odenkirk
- Bob Saget
- Adam Sandler
- Will Sasso
- Molly Shannon
- David Spade
- Brian Stack
- Fred Wolf
Production and release
The film has been largely advertised on the Hodgee Films social media pages on Facebook and Instagram[2] and was first announced on the official Chris Farley Facebook page on September 19, 2013, reading, " Network Entertainment Inc. ("Network"), a subsidiary of Network Media Group Inc. (TSX-V: NTE), is pleased to announce an agreement with the Estate of Chris Farley under which Network will develop and produce a feature documentary on the life and legacy of legendary funny man Chris Farley. Before his untimely death at only 33 years of age, Farley left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry through his groundbreaking work on television in both Second City and Saturday Night Live, as well as a thriving feature film career, where he was known for a uniquely bold and energetic comedic style that cemented him as a key player in a movement that evolved and redefined the comedic genre. The film will follow in the tradition of Network's award winning documentaries on iconic individuals, including Muhammad Ali, Bruce Lee and Steve McQueen. "The world has yet to hear the full story about our beloved brother and son," said Kevin Farley, one of Chris's brothers, "and we look forward to working with the team at Network to bring Chris' inspiring, funny and tragic story to his many fans, as well as introducing him to a whole new generation of comedy fans." "In his short life, Chris Farley was able to create a family of characters that have endeared him to comedy fans throughout the world," adds Network CEO Derik Murray, "We very much look forward to working with Kevin and the rest of the Farley family to recount Chris' life and work, and the impact he had on all those around him, in an authentic, moving, and of course very funny, way."
The film's TV premiere was August 10, 2015 on Spike TV and had a simultaneous release on DVD/Bluray and Digital Download.
Reception
The film has received mostly positive reviews, and currently holds a 76% "Fresh" rating on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. RogerEbert.com gave the film 3/4 stars and called the film, "a love letter" to Farley and said " I kept thinking what Farley would have thought of it. He probably would have been embarrassed and a bit shy about the whole thing. But he would have loved the attention. He would have smiled and laughed. And sometimes that’s enough." Entertainment Weekly called the film "skillfully helmed" by directors Brent Hodge and Derik Murray, giving it a positive rating.