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Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed

Play trailer Poster for Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed 2021 1h 33m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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79% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed brings us the shockingly untold story of the prolific landscape artist and host of The Joy of Painting. With a keen appreciation for nature, and a kind and gentle demeanor, Bob Ross encouraged everyone he met to embrace their creativity and believe in themselves, becoming a cultural phenomenon along the way. The man who famously said that there were no mistakes - just happy accidents - has brought sheer delight to the world for decades. Beyond the iconic hair, soothing voice and nostalgic paintings lies a mystery that many have yet to discover.
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Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed

Critics Reviews

View All (29) Critics Reviews
Tim Cogshell FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles) The teasing of some kind of controversy is sort of unnecessary for this film... The guy we saw doing those paintings is who Bob Ross was. Aug 28, 2021 Full Review Nina Metz Chicago Tribune The documentary is strongest when it simply lets Steve - who resembles his father, minus the poof of hair - sift through his memories. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 26, 2021 Full Review Lisa Kennedy New York Times The melancholy result is that the painter with the spectacularly lulling voice, the hallmark 'fro and the liberating kindness remains a mystery; not the brand that's made millions but the guy who touched millions. Aug 25, 2021 Full Review Keith Garlington Keith & the Movies “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal and Greed” will both bring a broad smile to your face and make your blood boil. Rated: 4/5 Aug 17, 2022 Full Review Gem Seddon SFX Magazine Happy Accidents, Betrayal, & Greed shines a much-needed light on the murky underbelly of profiting on a celebrity long after they've passed - and who seeks to gain from it. Feb 3, 2022 Full Review Julia Swift My Champlain Valley Dig deep into Bob Ross' life and come out with a new outlook on all of the Bob Ross Inc products flooding the market. Rated: 6 Oct 30, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (26) audience reviews
Birithivy Y Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal And Greed - 9/10. Bob Ross. The man, the myth, the legend. This documentary serves as a testament to his legendary status as the soft spoken painter who inspired millions worldwide. Though a touching and honest look back at his life, the film turns its gears to reveal the shocking turn of events near the end of his life and post demise. A sometimes eye opening and sincere documentary, this one speaks to not only die hard fans, but also people who genuinely want to know more about him. As a person with a basic knowledge of what Ross did, its actually amazing to know how much of an impact he had on people, including his son (who is the main subject of focus in the interview portions) and his fellow colleagues and fans. The darker side of the documentary is a pretty shocking turn for anyone with no knowledge of what happened to him near his sad death. The way greed and the lust for wealth is portrayed really shows how the message of loving what you do is completely lost. Its sad that Ross can't see how much of an influence he has on people till this day, and its without question that he changed the world of painting forever. Though this doc is full of the love and positivity that Ross had shone through his work, it is difficult to watch the sadder parts of this documentary. If the doc focused more on his impact on the world, this would be a perfect documentary. Nevertheless, this is one of the better docs from the last few years! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 10/30/24 Full Review Doug A You go into the movie wondering if the real life Bob Ross is even close to the TV Bob Ross. You leave the movie thinking Bob Ross is even better than when you went into the movie. He is a true American legend. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/22/24 Full Review Jeff M Bob Ross was indeed a unique, one-of-a-kind individual. And when this documentary concentrates on his life, his paintings and the unusual spell he cast not only nationwide but worldwide, it is rapturous, 5-star material. The best parts of this movie concentrate on his early life, his rise to stardom and the age-old question whether or not the 'fro was natural. This part of the documentary is irresistible. Sadly, when it starts to concentrate on the titular betrayal and greed, the filmmaking isn't near as strong. I am not going to say much more, because I was totally unaware of the behind the scenes details of what happened, and I certainly don't want to spoil anything for any potential viewers. Let me just say this - the filmmakers make it emphatically clear that several important people in Ross' life opted not to be part of this documentary for fear of being sued. The alleged "villains" of this piece also chose not to participate. Right or wrong, this makes the overall documentary feel very slanted. It's kinda the same problem I had with ALLEN V. FARROW - we're basically only hearing one side of the story. This isn't necessarily the fault of the filmmakers - they obviously do what they can with what they're provided. But I still recommend this to those like me who grew up in the Bob Ross era. There are segments of this film that are absolutely magical - just like Ross himself, God rest his soul. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/24 Full Review kevin c Interesting documentary chronicling the life and career of beloved PBS' smooth talking painter Bob Ross. Basically takes you through his love of painting to partnering with a couple to make a career out of it, his rise in popularity to his untimely death and subsequent battle for the rights to his name and likeness. Very good documentary , although the trailer makes it look more salacious than it is. Still a riveting watch. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member I would have preferred a straight documentary on Ross' life and positive influence on society but instead this felt like a sensationalized story which at the root offered the banal examples of greed and manipulation seen one hundred times before. While what happened to Ross and his family is horrible there just wasn't enough meat to make the "one business partner cheats the other to get more for themselves" storyline prove interesting. 5.5/10 Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review david f An interesting documentary. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed

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Movie Info

Synopsis Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed brings us the shockingly untold story of the prolific landscape artist and host of The Joy of Painting. With a keen appreciation for nature, and a kind and gentle demeanor, Bob Ross encouraged everyone he met to embrace their creativity and believe in themselves, becoming a cultural phenomenon along the way. The man who famously said that there were no mistakes - just happy accidents - has brought sheer delight to the world for decades. Beyond the iconic hair, soothing voice and nostalgic paintings lies a mystery that many have yet to discover.
Director
Joshua Rofé
Producer
Joshua Rofé
Production Co
Netflix Studios, Number 19
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 25, 2021
Runtime
1h 33m
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