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Poster for Val

2021 | 109 min | Documentary

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (93% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office and little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for the curious. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Eye-opening.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 49 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors, has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    93% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.2 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far

  • Buzz & cultural impactBelow par

    About 51K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Leo Scott, Ting Poo

  • Val KilmerSelf
  • Jack KilmerSelf / Narrator
  • Mercedes KilmerSelf
  • Joanne WhalleySelf
  • Kevin BaconSelf (archive)
  • Fairuza BalkSelf (archive)
  • Marlon BrandoSelf (archive)
  • Nicolas CageSelf (archive)
  • Jim CarreySelf (archive)
  • CherSelf (archive)