Death of a Superhero (2011)

100% of critics liked it
(7 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(289 ratings)

To the world around him, Donald appears to be a typical teenager. He's moody toward his parents, awkward around girls, and ambivalent about the struggle to fit in at school. But Donald also possesses an extraordinary imagination and a talent for art that sets him apart from his peers. When he is… More To the world around him, Donald appears to be a typical teenager. He's moody toward his parents, awkward around girls, and ambivalent about the struggle to fit in at school. But Donald also possesses an extraordinary imagination and a talent for art that sets him apart from his peers. When he is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, Donald retreats into a fantasy world in order to avoid confronting the painful reality of his life. With the help of a compassionate therapist, family and friends who care for him, and a young woman who becomes his first love, Donald decides to take advantage of his remaining days and fight against the sickness that tries to claim his life. -- (C) Tribeca Film

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Ian Fitzgibbon
Genres: Drama, Animation, Art House & International

In Theaters: May 4, 2012 Limited
Studio: Tribeca Films

Critic Reviews

Andrew Lapin, NPR
Charming, raunchy and improbably uplifting.
John Anderson, Variety
Pic sidesteps cloying sentimentality and heavy-handedness with the help of a solid cast.
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
Much of this film quickly vanishes from memory, but there's some gold here. That's pretty much the message about life itself in "Death of a Superhero."
Noel Murray, AV Club
Fitzgibbon's cast is excellent, and the movie's animated interludes liven up what could've been thoroughly pat.
Perri Nemiroff, Movies.com
Pairing of drawings and live-action material help us get into Donald's head, but in a tamer manner, something that highlights the hope and makes it an enjoyable watch.
Kimberly Gadette, Doddle
"A synchronous coming-of-age/coming-of-death story, the teen's complex mindset comes at us by way of an inventive live-action/graphics mix. Like the boy, the film steadfastly steers clear of the mawkish."
Kenji Fujishima, Slant Magazine
A generally affecting and occasionally insightful drama about the ways people handle an awareness of mortality.