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Dear Mr. Brody

Play trailer 2:38 Poster for Dear Mr. Brody Released Mar 4, 2022 1h 37m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
97% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
When 21-year-old hippie-millionaire Michael Brody Jr. decided to give away his $25-million fortune to anyone in need, he ignited a psychedelic spiral of events. Instant celebrities, Brody and his wife Renee, were mobbed by the public, scrutinized by the press, and overwhelmed by the crush of personal letters responding to his extraordinary offer. Fifty years later, an enormous cache of these letters are discovered--unopened. In this riveting follow-up to 2016's TOWER, award-winning director Keith Maitland reveals the incredible story of Michael Brody Jr.--and the countless struggling Americans who sought his help--to create a deeply moving meditation on desire, need, philanthropy, and love.
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Dear Mr. Brody

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Critics Consensus

Dear Mr. Brody uses its stranger-than-fiction true story to take a touching look at how an act of kindness can reverberate for years.

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Critics Reviews

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Leah Greenblatt Entertainment Weekly Unevenly executed but still compelling: a far-out cautionary tale of money, media, and gonzo idealism gone wrong. Rated: B Apr 29, 2022 Full Review Odie Henderson RogerEbert.com Dear Mr. Brody does a fine job of showing how the financial chasm between rich and poor people is as wide and insurmountable today as it was in 1970. Rated: 3/4 Mar 5, 2022 Full Review Ty Burr Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack) The film is over-directed and antic in spots but unexpectedly touching in others, and it’s paced for maximum involvement and lingering melancholy. Rated: 3/4 Mar 4, 2022 Full Review Greg Carlson Vague Visages Key players in the saga, led by the clear-eyed and contemplative Renee DuBois Brody — who married Michael after knowing him just a few weeks — provide helpful context and connect events of more than half a century ago to today. Jul 28, 2023 Full Review Michael Barrett PopMatters Among many topics raised in Dear Mr. Brody, the story of a man who gave away his ill-gotten money for need, not greed, is how media and money blur our already imperfect perception of mental illness. Jun 16, 2023 Full Review Frank Swietek One Guy's Opinion Absorbing, and ultimately quite moving, documentary...a surprisingly affecting treatment of a fleeting moment in American history that offers a glimpse into the national character. Rated: B+ Apr 28, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert W It was very interesting to learn about Brody; however, I would have liked even more discussion of this individual. About half of the film focused on the letters written by some of the individuals who were seeking money from Brody. At times, this was fairly interesting; however, after a while, it became a bit too repetitive for me. I would have also liked more animation-such as what was used in the director's previous film, Tower. Using animation would have allowed the director to focus more on Brody. Some aspects of this film were quite good but it is not as good as Tower. Still, I will be on the lookout for more films from this very creative director. UPDATED: I recently watched this again and liked it more the 2nd time. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/15/24 Full Review dave d Hubby and Wife date night brought the feature-length documentary about a guy who pledged to save the world with money and love. It's a fascinating tale of Michael Brody, Jr. We went in cold and were totally taken in my the melodrama created by Brody from his actions in the early 1970s. Interviews with Brody's wife and son and several people close to him at the time are combined with people found who wrote letters to Brody. Tears will be shed if you have empathy. The story shifts to mental illness in way that is very well executed. The story is thin, however, Keith Maitland does his darnedest to squeeze 96 minutes from the doc. Hubby: 8.8/Wife 8.8/Average: 8.8/10 Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis When 21-year-old hippie-millionaire Michael Brody Jr. decided to give away his $25-million fortune to anyone in need, he ignited a psychedelic spiral of events. Instant celebrities, Brody and his wife Renee, were mobbed by the public, scrutinized by the press, and overwhelmed by the crush of personal letters responding to his extraordinary offer. Fifty years later, an enormous cache of these letters are discovered--unopened. In this riveting follow-up to 2016's TOWER, award-winning director Keith Maitland reveals the incredible story of Michael Brody Jr.--and the countless struggling Americans who sought his help--to create a deeply moving meditation on desire, need, philanthropy, and love.
Director
Keith Maitland
Producer
Megan Gilbride, Melissa Robyn Glassman, Keith Maitland, Sarah Wilson
Screenwriter
Keith Maitland
Distributor
Greenwich Entertainment / Discovery+
Production Co
Twelve21 Productions, Alive Enterprises, Pressman Film, Go-Valley
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 4, 2022, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 28, 2022
Runtime
1h 37m
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