ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN MOVIE REVIEW

Anthony Bourdain, the beloved chef and TV personality who left us before we could really know him, is given a first class documentary tribute courtesy of director Morgan Neville (“Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” “20 Feet From Stardom”). The film offers a sweeping look at Bourdain’s life from his humble origins as a chef in a tiny New York restaurant to his meteoric rise to superstardom through his highly successful books and television shows. Unfortunately, for all of the joys in his life, Bourdain also dealt with a number of personal demons that sadly influenced his decision to end his life. What kind of impact did he have on the people around him before and after this moment? What else is there to learn about a man whose life seemed to be so thoroughly documented? The answer to that is surprisingly a lot! Justin, Melina, Chad, and Ben get somber but also contemplative as they discuss how this documentary celebrates Bourdain’s many accomplishments while being frank about his many issues without ever getting salacious. It’ll be hard to leave this movie, or this review, without a tears.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE/TRAILER

DIRECTED BY: Morgan Neville

 

YOUR REVIEWERS

 

Justin Zarian (Screener Squad, Eye on the Prize, Breakfast Pub, Assistant Site Manager)

Justin’s fate as a movie fanatic was written in the stars when his birth forced his parents to cancel their planned Oscar viewing party. While growing up in California, he was often seen in front of the television watching and re-watching Star Wars, Jurassic Park, classic Disney movies and a steady stream of animated shows. This eventually led to a B.A. in Film at Brigham Young University and an Outstanding Student Teacher Award for displaying a level of film knowledge so insane that even his fellow film students couldn’t compete. He received his M.A. from Syracuse University and is currently pursuing a teaching certificate, but still volunteers at One of Us every so often for the fun of it. His hobbies include non-stop film conversations, wondering how Mass Effect 3’s ending went so wrong, espousing the joys of shooting guns (but not hunting, as he’s quick to note), writing the next great American television show in his head, and anything else entertainment related. You can find him on Facebook once in a blue moon.

 

 

Ben Glasthal (Highly Suspect Review, Screener Squad, Breakfast Pub, Unstabletop Gamers, Video and Audio Editor, Assistant Site Manager)

Born in Boston, then ending up in Dallas, Texas in the early 2000s, Ben has always had a passion for film. He started in film school not long after where he launched MovieReelizations.com where he still writes reviews to this day. He’s since moved to Austin where he has been also hopping on podcasts and both editing and shooting videos for One of Us. A fan of films from almost all genres, and many that predate him more than makes sense, he is anything if not eclectic in what he’s watching at any point. For the rest of his free time, he can be found biking, drinking craft beer, being an amateur photographer, and playing video games by himself or on Twitch. He’s best found on Instagram or Twitter as @MovieReelBen.

 

 

Chad Halvorsen (Screener Squad)

Chad Halvorsen currently resides in Milwaukee, WI, where he produces and edits commercials, films, and everything in between. He was always a fan of film/television growing up, spending days in the Summer, making (terrible) home movies with his brothers. Little did he know that passion would carry on into adul...