Jim Henson: Idea Man is a new documentary from Ron Howard that looks into the life of the creator of The Muppets. The Muppets was just one thing that Jim Henson, created however. He was always creating, always pushing boundaries, and always innovating. In Jim Henson: Idea Man, the story of this great creator is explored. This starts with his origins on a local television station, success on Sesame Street, creation of The Muppet Show, and beyond. This story is told through interviews with those who knew him and access to Jim’s personal archives. It is also told with the blessing and cooperation of Henson’s family.
The storyline in Jim Henson: Idea Man mainly follows the path of Jim Henson’s life. As his story is told, friends and family members share their memories. With a very full life that was constantly doing new things, not all of the details of Jim Henson’s life is explored. The big picture parts of Henson’s life are covered. Some of the details and specifics are not. What this film does do is show how Jim Henson was a creative man who did not follow or fit in what would be considered a normal mold. He had no problem living outside of the box, in fact, that’s where he was at his best.
Throughout this documentary, Ron Howard continues to give a glimpse at a man who was always pushing forward. In some ways, I was reminded of Hamilton (the musical) and how he always felt the title character was always running out of time. While Jim Henson doesn’t seem to be feeling it in a desperate way as Hamilton did in the music, he clearly was driving forward as fast as he could.
The challenge with a documentary is that there is only so much time to tell a story. In this case, for fans of Jim Henson will know many of the elements of this story. This documentary does show some wonderful footage and has some very enjoyable interviews. It doesn’t have that many big reveals for those who have studied Henson. What it effectively does though is paint a portrait of who Jim Henson was and how he changed throughout the course of his life.
This is an enjoyable documentary that is a great way to look at a great storyteller and creator. It does show how Jim Henson really was an idea man. It also is a great introduction to the life of Jim Henson to those who may not know that much about his life. It is a lovely documentary that will evoke emotion. It is also a documentary that as a fan of Jim Henson, I’d love to see as a docu-series. It should definitely be watched by any fan of Sesame Street, The Muppets, Jim Henson’s films, or Fraggle Rock. It is also great for anyone who is just curious about this man. This is a documentary that feels like a Ron Howard documentary. It isn’t controversial. It doesn’t make major waves. It does give a feel for who Jim Henson, the idea man, really was. I’m going to take my hat off for this one. I really enjoyed it and I can’t wait to watch it again.
Jim Henson: Idea Man will be arriving on Disney+ exclusively on May 31, 2024. Be sure to check it out and then share what you thought of it with me in the comments below! I’d love to hear your feedback!
Daps Magic received a sample product or experience for this review in exchange for an honest review. The views of the reviewer are wholly their own. Read full disclosure policy at dapsmagic.com/disclosurepolicy.
Mr. DAPs Hat Rating Scale
- No Hat – Didn’t meet expectations
- Hat Nod – It was ok
- Hat Tip – It was good
- Hat’s Off – Loved it!
