Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened

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Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened

Released Nov 18, 2016

1h 37m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

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21 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along" opened in November 1981 to scathing reviews and closed after just 16 performances. Despite its inauspicious beginnings, the musical's score has grown to become one of the composer's most beloved. Archival footage of the rehearsals along with interviews with the cast -- as well as Sondheim himself and director Harold Prince -- tell the tale of this infamous production.

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Price's film is a fascinating and moving combination of a backstage musical documentary and a first-person story of youthful dreams and long, knocked-around life arcs.

Mar 27, 2020

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

More impressively, Price has incorporated the retrospective theme into his documentary with a second act in which the performers reveal the different directions life has taken them since they appeared in the show.

Mar 31, 2017

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Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

If you have any Broadway or Sondheim or show business in your bloodstream, you should go.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jan 12, 2017

Full Review

David Reddish

Queerty

In other words, The Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened essentially is Merrily We Roll Along, executed with success.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 20, 2022

Full Review

Steven Prokopy

Third Coast Review

Fans of the theater and musicals will rejoice at the level of access and depth of emotion that the film gives us. And it's a crazy, often surprising story on top of that, so lovers of drama should be satisfied as well.

May 1, 2020

Full Review

Michael D. Reid

Victoria Times Colonist (B.C., Canada)

If you're a musical-theatre geek who once listened endlessly to Stephen Sondheim showtunes while gazing at framed playbills on your bedroom wall, this is the movie for you.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 6, 2017

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Audience Member

Art reflects life reflects art and back again. A look at the lives and careers of the youthful cast of Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along," a show that chronicled the career of a musical composer turned Hollywood producer. A sometimes inspiring and sometimes heartbreaking must for anyone whose had, almost had or plans to have a career in the performing arts.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Required viewing for musical theatre fans

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I was in the orchestra for this wonderful musical. I was 27 at the time so I was the old guy. Lonny did a wonderful job capturing the excitement surrounding the piece. This was not the formula stuff that was most often found on Broadway. A with most of Sondheim's work it was new and daring. Although it is played as an underscore in much of the movie, what was not mentioned was that this show had IMHO, one of greatest overtures in Broadway history (by one of the greatest orchestrators ever - Jonathan Tunic). I will never forget the day Jonathan brought in the overture and that amazing orchestra just ripped through it on the 1st reading while Maestro Sondheim listened. The tune "Good Thing Going" was given to the tuba as a solo and Sondheim just looked at Tunic and smiled. I'll never forget that look as long as I live. I was a trumpet player. My life was jingles, followed by recording dates followed by a Broadway show at night. I can't say I know anything about Broadway but I innately knew that I was a part of something special and bigger than myself. Oh and Lonny, we also worked on "Baby" together with the great Liz Callaway. Lonny, you done good! This was a film that should have been made about a show that history as shown was a brilliant work by one of the greatest composers ever. Thank you!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A feel-good documentary with some interesting insights into the fate of the both the show and company of the Sondheim flop. I wish it had a broader breadth and depth (more actors, more followup with James Weissenbach, etc), but what's here is worth watching.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

STELLAR. EACH MINUTE IS BETTER THAN THE PREVIOUS MINUTE.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

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Lonny Price

Director

Stephen Sondheim

Self

Lonny Price

Writer

Kitt Lavoie

Writer

Ted Schillinger

Writer

Lonny Price

Producer

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Best Worst Thing That Could Have Ever Happened: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along" opened in November 1981 to scathing reviews and closed after just 16 performances. Despite its inauspicious beginnings, the musical's score has grown to become one of the composer's most beloved. Archival footage of the rehearsals along with interviews with the cast -- as well as Sondheim himself and director Harold Prince -- tell the tale of this infamous production.

Director: Lonny Price
Producer: Lonny Price, Bruce David Klein, Kitt Lavoie, Ted Schillinger
Screenwriter: Lonny Price, Kitt Lavoie, Ted Schillinger
Distributor: Abramorama
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 18, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 18, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $104.0K
Runtime: 1h 37m

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