Tell Them Who You Are (2004)

88% of critics liked it
(64 reviews)
55% of users liked it
(893 ratings)

Mark Wexler is a successful photojournalist who has also distinguished himself as a documentary filmmaker, but in many ways he has spent much of his life in the shadow of his more famous father, Haskell Wexler. One of Hollywood's greatest cinematographers, Haskell is also known as a director (he… More Mark Wexler is a successful photojournalist who has also distinguished himself as a documentary filmmaker, but in many ways he has spent much of his life in the shadow of his more famous father, Haskell Wexler. One of Hollywood's greatest cinematographers, Haskell is also known as a director (he made the acclaimed feature Medium Cool as well as a handful of documentaries) and as a tireless political activist. But while Haskell is widely respected as a major talent, he's also known for being fiercely opinionated and difficult to work with, and Mark makes no secret of the fact that he's had a prickly relationship with his dad. Mark Wexler takes a detailed look at the life and work of Haskell Wexler in Tell Them Who You Are, which examines Haskell's career in the movie business, his relationship with his family (including his three marriages and his frequent lack of respect for Mark), and how he's viewed by his friends and peers. Interview subjects include Jane Fonda, Paul Newman, George Lucas, Michael Douglas, Milos Forman, Ron Howard, Dennis Hopper, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Directed By: Mark Wexler
Genres: Documentary, Television, Special Interest

In Theaters: May 13, 2005 Wide
Studio: ThinkFilm

Critic Reviews

Christy Lemire, Associated Press
It works as a portrait of a father-son relationship that's awkward, volatile, uneven and always painfully real.
Mike Clark, USA Today
What we really get from son Mark's unusual take is a sterling movie about fathers (especially famous fathers) and offspring.
Ken Tucker, New York Magazine
[A] tremendously moving documentary.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
A real gem of a film.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
A vivid picture of a relationship that, like most, isn't quite picture-perfect.
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter
A lively, often hilarious yet profoundly moving experience.
Robert Davis, Paste Magazine
Tell Them Who You Are radiates dignity, the unusual warmth given off by the frustration of trying to know someone.
Jason Gorber, Film Scouts
It's a remarkable documentary, thoroughly enjoyable and one of the most powerful films I've seen in quite some time.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
In the end this is a great movie about a filmmaker. It's also a great movie about fathers and sons.
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
A desperately sad look at two men whose determination to rebel against their heritage and succeed in their artform has rendered them unable to communicate. Compelling stuff, though.
Matthew Leyland, BBC
With dad calling junior's filmmaking skills into question at every turn, this is a fascinating blend of fact and friction.
Chris Cabin, Filmcritic.com
a rare film of startling sincerity
James Plath, Reel.com
Mark Wexler uses cinema verite as a means to an end and allows the film to be as much about the filmmaker as it is about the subject. In the end, nothing could be truer.
Kurt Loder, MTV
A unique and luminous achievement.
Mattias Frey, Boston Phoenix
Equal parts fan mail and home video from Hell, Tell Them Who You Are is a fascinating piece of father-son psychotherapy à la Hollywood.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The subject is a fascinating one, and the film is worth watching just to see how impressive Wexler's career has been.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
More than a Hollywood profile, it becomes a filmmaker's effort to figure out how he relates, personally and professionally, to his famous father.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
An opportunity missed

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Featured Audience Ratings

Walter M

For the record, I believe that family members should never be involved in recording the life stories of loved ones due to the combination of distance and past closeness which can lead to a skewed perspective and usually involves at least one person with an axe to grind or deep-seated… More
For the record, I believe that family members should never be involved in recording the life stories of loved ones due to the combination of distance and past closeness which can lead to a skewed perspective and usually involves at least one person with an axe to grind or deep-seated issues. Case in point with the latter is the documentary "Tell Them Who You Are" wherein Mark Wexler attempts to document the career of his father, Haskell, the famed cinematographer. That's the case until Haskell hijacks the proceedings to make it more about him as a person, leaving whatever footage in which would normally be cut and vice versa, as Mark forgets that the first rule of the documentarian is to stay behind the camera as much as humanly possible. Admittedly, there is some great stuff here about "Medium Cool," with a neat anecdote about "Coming Home." And some of Haskell's lesser known movies like "Latino" and "Introduction to the Enemy" definitely sound intriguing. But getting back to those issues, the documentary seeks to portray Haskell as irascible and whose left wing politics which did not stop him from working with Elia Kazan stopped him from accomplishing much more in a career full of accomplishments.(At the age of 87, apparently he is still working.) Personally, any discussion of paternal issues by the participants only serve to make me feel well-adjusted which is quite the accomplishment. Look, I am not saying we should venerate all artists or gloss over their shortcomings. It's just that I don't care.

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Tell Them Who You Are (2004)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Walter M

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