Huievest
Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
CrawlerChunky
In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Lugo1989
Listen to Me Marlon is a fantastic documentary about one of the best actors in the history of film. A treat for every film lover and everyone who enjoy learning and getting to know about genius people who changed and revived things in their field of work and were never afraid to be themselves. The narrator of this film is Marlon Brando himself. The audio material was taken from hundreds of hours of private recordings that he made and were never released to the public before. It was wonderful listening to some of the things he said about acting, life itself, his views on Native and African Americans, film business, success, his troubled youth and many more. I believe thet every person who is thinking of trying to get into acting should see this. Grat film about a great man.
Cenobites187
If you're a Brando fan, I mean a true Brando fan, not just his movies, but of him, his aura, energy and ownership, then this is for you. It is a bit scary at times as only the inviting magnetism of Brando could unleash. His voice is very haunting and something eerie about what is on the screen; that is what Brando was to me, haunting and eerie that only a rebel could emulate.That dark, vulnerable feeling he gives off we have all felt being that we are all human. When you feel like an outcast or a loner, life can be a little off and feel a bit isolated at times. Am I normal? Am I weird? Why do I feel like this? Some more and less than others but life is all relative and Brando is constantly reminding us of that. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I'm such a big fan of his work because he makes me feel like I am not alone, gives me a calm, blissful feeling in my heart that I am not the only one that feels this way about the world.Even if you don't know who Brando is or if you are not a fan of the man or the actor, this is a perfect dive into the madness of a sane person made out to look insane.Although unfortunate, it is very true that we are painted as crazy with a mere preponderance of evidence; if you're on the side of the 49% and not the 51%, then you're a bad guy, unpatriotic and/or deviant just to name a few. Perhaps after watching this for those that do not like Brando, they will gain an understanding of where his madness comes from and it's impact on not only him but his viewers as well.One aspect of Brando that is undeniable is how humble and honest he is. He is constantly reminding us that at some point the emperor wears no clothes. I would also recommend watching his interview with Larry King where his display of fragility, cultural awareness and wit are as pure as his honesty."There isn't anything that pays you as well as acting while you decide what the hell you're going to do with yourself." ~Brando (and after reading what I wrote above, I am clearly terrible at reviews...my apologies)
Michael_Elliott
Listen to Me Marlon (2015)**** (out of 4) We are told that when Marlon Brando died in 2004 he left behind hundreds of hours worth of audio recordings that he made throughout his life. This rather unique documentary has Brando telling us his life story by using these audio recordings as well as some older interview footage.Writer, director and editor Stevan Riley really did an amazing job here because it couldn't have been easy to take all of these audio recordings and put them into a "story" that it's clear and makes sense. The documentary covers Brando's early years with his parents and then gets into his movie career where it's clear the actor wasn't his fondest fan. Films like ON THE WATERFRONT, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, THE GODFATHER and LAST TANGO IN Paris get some great talk but there's also some great audio footage dealing with Brando's "lost" period in the 60s when he was basically just doing films for the money.Brando's life had all sorts of bad things happen including the various issues with is son and daughter. Those sad topics are covered here as well as other issues including his battle over the treatment of Indians. If you're a fan of Brando then you're certainly going to love this documentary because, well, the actor was a rather private person and didn't give too many interviews so it was great getting to hear his thoughts on life, himself and of course the movies.
Scarecrow-88
Marlon Brando's voice, a digitized face (quite detailed and animated), and clips from interviews, his films, and behind the scenes footage (along with footage covering the horrible tragedies that befell his son and daughter) portray an intimate detailing of the actor and what existed within his tortured soul. The intellect, pain, and moral quandary detected/captured in those audio recordings provide this insight into who Marlon was. A private man not always willing to unveil the deepest feelings and offer explanations into his behavior on sets and reclusive nature away from Hollywood when not doing a movie, "Listen to Me Marlon" opens this enigmatic man to us. There's a certain kind of voyeurism I felt while watching this (and more importantly, listening to Marlon), as if some of what I hear wasn't ever meant for me. But to get behind the curtain and gain an understanding of this mythic figure (as used by the actor describing the fate/status of a popular actor) is fascinating and compelling.It covers the actor during his rise from nothing, Stella Adler's acting studio which he was her brightest star (his words about her treatment of him quite a testament to how she nurtured him into quite a career which had its highs and lows), his difficult childhood and recollections of a harsh father and alcoholic mother (which had domestic violence), the shooting which led to imprisonment of his son, the suicide of his daughter, the enamored draw to Tahiti, the turbulence on the sets of Mutiny on the Bounty and Apocalpyse now (the criticism of how he was directed and how he felt as an actor crippled by the system which he rebelled), the equal parts terror and allure of stardom, the rebellious nature which resisted conformity (it is almost a sin for this man to star in films like "Guys & Dolls" and "Mutiny on the Bounty", studio projects his type of method actor you'd think would resist), the compulsion towards political stances and vocal representation of causes that often oppose his fellow white man (it is no surprise, I don't think, that Viva Zapata! is considered one of his very best films and performances), and the professional miscues which disgusted him ("Candy" and "Countess of Hong Kong" are examples of films he was certainly disappointed in; he considered "Candy" his worst film, but I would be more inclined to include "The Island of Dr. Moreau" in that conversation).But this is indeed a documentary which tries to deduce some answers behind the complexities and mysteries which hid behind the veil. I was fascinated by Brando's interest in faces and how he mentions that he would just study folks when arriving in New York City. There's one particular scene where beautiful interviewers try to delve into Brando's acting methodology and instead he comments on their facial quirks and turns the questions on them, laying on a seductive charm that leaves them surprised and awkward. The doc does embellish his persona, can't help but admire his handsomeness, and gives this actor a platform to develop his cult stature even further. But the childhood pain ekes away plenty of the satisfaction and gratification that comes with success and what he could do so well. The irony of it all: from the pain came those performances. Without the childhood misery and torment came all those distinctive emotions that exploded on screen in A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront. His legacy, in some ways, is defined by his mistreatment as a child. The ultimate tragedy: he wanted it to be different for his children, but sadly their fates were seemingly destined for the dark road. Heavy emphasis on his own "self hypnosis" during the audio recordings, and his feelings on how the director in Last Tango in Paris culled from his a bit too much of what secretly was buried away not meant for public consumption should earn this doc some curious listeners. My only complaint: no emphasis at all on Reflections in a Golden Eye. Good use of The Godfather in how it ties to Brando himself
