Being Elmo (3/31/12)

Movie Sixty Nine

Being Elmo is the biography of puppeteer Kevin Clash and even if you have never heard of him before, I can promise you have seen his impact.

I think everyone, regardless of age, has at the very least heard of Sesame Street. I suspect many of us grew up religiously watching the show. Jim Henson’s creations were a large part of growing up in the 80s for me. Being Elmo does not require any background knowledge of Elmo, or even a deep knowledge of Sesame Street. The message portrayed is universal.

Being Elmo is really about following a dream. Kevin Clash devoted his life to puppets from an early age. He kept with it through high school, in spite of the ridicule. He touched children’s lives with his creations and never seemed to regret it. That alone is endearing. Getting a chance to work with Jim Henson was truly a dream come true for him and we travel with Clash and his family to those defining moments.

We see his talent, both with puppets and with children and it truly is touching. I was not expecting to really enjoy this movie as much as I did simply because I’m not really familiar with Elmo. The movie is really not about Elmo, it is about Kevin Clash, but there is a history lesson for the character. Being Elmo will truly touch your heart.

I give it 5 Jim Henson and Kermits out of 5.

Links:

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