Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey

2017

1h 36m

Documentary

List

100%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Director Dave O'Leske follows the fearless, 94-year-old mountain climber Fred Beckey for ten years as Beckey looks for the next peak to conquer.

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Evan Bush

Seattle Times

To watch the octogenarian clamber up slabby, exposed cliffs seems to be a testament to grit, but also a view of a stubborn old man's refusal to reckon with reality.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 1, 2017

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Brent McKnight

The Last Thing I See

Rebellious and uninhibited, Fred Beckey inspires and frustrates, enthralls and confounds. He's compelling, engaging, and kind of a jerk, which makes "Dirtbag" fascinating and entertaining as all hell.

Rated: B+

Jul 1, 2020

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Ian Thomas Malone

ianthomasmalone.com

Dirtbag paints a fascinating portrait of what it means to live life in full pursuit of one's passions.

Mar 28, 2019

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Sarah Cartland

Caution Spoilers

Like an old-style scrapbook, 75 years of mountaineering memories are told though old film, camp snapshots and scrappy notes. Director O'Leske steers a steady course trying to get to the uncompromising heart of the extraordinary and ordinary Fred Beckey.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 22, 2019

Full Review

Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Some impressive material has been unearthed from the archives and O'Leske fills in the gaps with more general footage of some of the mountains the climber ascended in his youth.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 29, 2019

Full Review

Christopher Llewellyn Reed

Hammer to Nail

Part of what makes Dirtbag such an appealing profile is the director's willingness to allow Beckey to come through in all his deeply flawed humanity.

Jan 11, 2019

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Audience Member

I watched this because my son is an avid rock climber and recommended it, but it is so well made and so entertaining that even people who are unfamiliar with rock climbing and mountain climbing would enjoy it. As for its subject matter, Fred Beckey, well, he seems to have been a very remarkable and accomplished individual, but not someone you would actually have wanted to know personally. He would just have used you. These sorts of people are interesting and entertaining to learn about second hand, but not fun to deal with in person.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

brooks p

Had a profound impact on me both as a 74 year old who loves to camp out and hike in the mountains and also as someone who doesn't care much what other people think. Extraordinarily well done in showing all aspects of Fred's life and filled with stunning panoramas of our mountains.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Wonderful tribute to a life ,an adventurer,and testimony to living out ones dreams. Fred was one heck of a guy. He didn't worry about what others thought, he had his own tune. Could have been rich and famous had he caved to convention. History would read differently had Fred chosen to play well with others. Excellent film

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Incredible account of Fred's life!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Dave O'Leske

Director

Fred Beckey

Self

Darren Lund

Writer

Dave O'Leske

Writer

Jason Reid

Writer

Colin Baxter

Executive Producer

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Synopsis

Director Dave O'Leske follows the fearless, 94-year-old mountain climber Fred Beckey for ten years as Beckey looks for the next peak to conquer.

Director: Dave O'Leske
Producer: Andy McDonough, Dave O'Leske, Colin Harper Plank, Jason Reid
Screenwriter: Darren Lund, Dave O'Leske, Jason Reid
Production Co: Through a Childs Eyes Productions, 2R Productions, Roped In Productions, Centripetal Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2018
Runtime: 1h 36m

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