If you only know Robert Downey Jr. as the guy in the high-tech tin suit saving the universe, you're basically missing the most interesting part of his DNA. I’m talking about the man behind the man. The actual Robert Downey. The one they call "Sr."
Most celebrity docs are just shiny PR reels. You know the vibe—slow-motion shots of a private jet, some crying about a "rough patch," and a neatly tied bow at the end. Honestly, the robert downey jr documentary titled Sr. (2022) is the complete opposite of that. It’s messy. It’s shot in black and white. It features a dying man trying to edit his own documentary while his son tries to film a different one. It’s easily one of the most vulnerable things Netflix has ever put out, but because it didn’t involve a multiverse or a purple alien, it sort of flew under the radar for the casual Marvel crowd.
Why Sr. Isn't Your Standard Celebrity Fluff
Chris Smith directed this. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he did American Movie and the Fyre festival doc. He has a knack for finding the "weird" in people. But here, the weirdness is generational.
Robert Downey Sr. was an underground film legend. We're talking 1960s counterculture, anti-establishment, "up yours" to the studio system kind of stuff. His movie Putney Swope is still a fever dream of a satire. In the robert downey jr documentary, you see how that rebellious energy shaped RDJ. It wasn't just about art; it was about a lifestyle that was, frankly, pretty dangerous.
The film covers the three years leading up to Senior’s death in 2021 from Parkinson’s. It’s not a "this happened, then that happened" timeline. It’s more of a conversation. A long, sometimes awkward, deeply loving conversation between a son who became the biggest star in the world and a father who never wanted to be.
The Elephant in the Room: The Addiction Narrative
You can't talk about the Downeys without talking about drugs. It’s the part of the story everyone thinks they know. But Sr. handles it with a nuance that's actually kind of heartbreaking.
There’s a moment where Junior is talking to his therapist—on camera, mind you—about his childhood. Senior was the one who introduced him to marijuana at age six. That’s a heavy fact to carry. In most movies, this would be the "villain origin story" moment. Here? It’s just a sad, quiet truth. Senior admits to his "hip-parent" failures, but he doesn't do it with a big, weeping apology. He does it with the weary regret of a man who knows he can't rewrite the script.
The "Two Movies" Concept
One of the coolest/weirdest things about this robert downey jr documentary is that there are actually two versions of it being made simultaneously.
- The "official" doc directed by Chris Smith.
- Senior’s "cut," which he worked on from his bed as his health declined.
Senior didn't like the linear, sentimental stuff. He wanted it to be abstract. He wanted shots of ducks in a pond. He wanted to keep the "absurdist armor" on until the very end. Junior, on the other hand, was clearly using the camera as a way to stay close to a father he was losing. It’s a bit of a tug-of-war. One wants to document the truth; the other wants to turn the truth into art.
Watching them argue over a shot or a frame while Senior is visibly weakening is... it's a lot. It’s a meta-commentary on how we try to control the narratives of our own lives when we know the ending is coming.
Real Talk: Is It Actually Good?
Look, if you want a highlight reel of Iron Man behind-the-scenes footage, stay away. This isn't that. But if you want to see RDJ without the "Tony Stark" mask—just a guy in a hoodie, worried about his dad, trying to figure out if he’s a good father to his own kids (Exton and Avri)—then yeah, it’s essential.
💡 You might also like: Why i got bills to pay i got mouths to feed Is Still the Ultimate Working Class Anthem
The critics loved it. It holds a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even the people who found it "annoying" (like some folks over at Jacobin) admitted it’s an incredibly rare look at the trappings of Hollywood royalty facing the most human thing there is: mortality.
Key Takeaways from the Film
- Creativity as a Coping Mechanism: Both men use filmmaking to avoid talking about the really scary stuff. It’s their shared language.
- The Weight of Legacy: RDJ’s career is almost an apology for the "mainstream" success his father shunned, yet it’s that success that funded the care Senior needed at the end.
- Parkinson’s is Brutal: The film doesn't look away from the physical toll of the disease, making the final scenes incredibly raw.
- Forgiveness Isn't a Moment: It’s a process. The doc shows that you don't need a "big speech" to find peace with a parent. Sometimes you just need to watch a movie together.
How to Watch and What to Do Next
The robert downey jr documentary Sr. is currently streaming on Netflix. It’s about 90 minutes long.
If you're going to watch it, don't do it while scrolling on your phone. It’s a black-and-white film that demands you pay attention to the silence. After you finish, if you really want to understand the "Downey Style," go find a clip of Putney Swope or Greaser's Palace. It’ll make the documentary feel ten times more impactful once you see the kind of "anarchic" art Senior was actually making.
Honestly, the best thing you can do after watching is call your old man. Or your son. That’s clearly what Junior wanted the audience to take away. He didn't make this to win an Oscar (though it was in the conversation); he made it so his dad’s last "edit" wouldn't be forgotten.
Next Steps for You:
Check out the "Sr. Edit" sequences within the film specifically—they are the most "pure" glimpses into the elder Downey's mind. You might also want to look up the 1969 film Putney Swope to see the specific satirical style RDJ was raised in, which provides a massive amount of context for his own comedic timing and "fast-talking" persona.