Val

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2:08

Val

R

2021

1h 49m

Documentary

Biography

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

123 Reviews

89%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.

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Critics Consensus

An absorbingly reflective documentary that benefits from its subject's self-chronicling, Val offers an intimate look at a unique life and career.

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Tim Robey

Daily Telegraph (UK)

You grow surprisingly attached to Val Kilmer as this goes along, and prepared to indulge his pretentious side as he grapples for a state of grace.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 7, 2021

Full Review

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

ABC Radio (Australia)

A raw, honest portrait of self-reflection by one of Hollywood's biggest names in a personally and professionally challenging period of transition.

Rated: 4.5/5

Aug 11, 2021

Full Review

Robert Levin

Newsday

It presents an actor reckoning not only with the imprint left upon him by his roles, but with how to reconstitute one of his most difficult moments into a period of freedom.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 9, 2021

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Terry Staunton

Radio Times

Memories both happy and tragic from family life, and his marriage to (and subsequent separation from) fellow thespian Joanne Whalley, are addressed with remarkable candour.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 17, 2025

Full Review

Harry Solomons

Loud and Clear Reviews

Unashamedly subjective, Val is a unique treatise on the art of acting by one of the industry’s most enigmatic figureheads.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 8, 2025

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

It’s a intensely personal film with a deep sense of longing, not so much for a career that once was, but for a chance to finally tell his life story in his own words.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 17, 2022

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Deborah H

I thought it was interesting and very brave of Val Kilmer

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/28/21

Full Review

Lee H

Touching and informative about an actors real life. Just fantastic that Val has documented a lot of his life. Really liked it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/18/21

Full Review

Brandy Stratton

An incredible emotional journey of an actor who is so much more. Loved every moment.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/11/21

Full Review

Shani F

Kilmer is an intriguing subject: someone who has been part of the industry for over three decades but is largely unknown. A moving portrait of a creative person whose life and career have been permanently affected by cancer treatment.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/10/21

Full Review

chris w

Execellent doc! Very well done, tho it felt just a shade too long

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/03/21

Full Review

Dave G

A truly touching memoir, raw and full of emotion.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/27/21

Full Review

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Ting Poo

Director

Leo Scott

Director

Val Kilmer

Self

Jack Kilmer

Self

Ali Alborzi

Producer

Andrew Fried

Producer

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Synopsis

For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood's most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.

Director: Ting Poo, Leo Scott
Producer: Ali Alborzi, Andrew Fried, Val Kilmer, Brad Koepenick, Dane Lillegard, Ting Poo, Leo Scott, Jordan Wynn
Screenwriter: Val Kilmer
Distributor: Amazon Studios
Production Co: TwainMania, Cartel Film Production, A24, Boardwalk Pictures, IAC Films, Cartel Films
Rating: R (Some Language)
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 23, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 6, 2021
Runtime: 1h 49m

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