Name: Belushi
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2020-05-13T10:54:56-07:00
Rating: 90

critics consensus

Affectionately chronicling John Belushi's outsized talent and personal foibles, this exhaustively-researched documentary captures both the joy and tragedy of the comedic titan's legacy. Read critic reviews

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Movie Info

Jim Belushi, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd and others discuss the extraordinary life and career of beloved actor and comedian John Belushi.

Genre:

documentary
Original Language:

English
Director:

R.J. Cutler
Producer:

John Battsek, Diane Becker, R.J. Cutler, Trevor Smith
Writer:

R.J. Cutler
Release Date (Streaming):

Nov 23, 2020
Runtime:

1h 48m
Production Co:

This Machine, Passion Pictures, Showtime Networks , Sky Atlantic

Cast & Crew

John Landis
Self

Lorne Michaels
Self

Jim Belushi
Self

Ivan Reitman
Self

Chevy Chase
Self

Dan Aykroyd
Self

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Belushi

TV Premiere Dates 2020

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Critic Reviews for Belushi

All Critics (63) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (57) | Rotten (6)

The barrier that looms over so many posthumous artist biographies isn't broken through here, but Cutler's documentary does get you close up so you can feel the texture and sense the breadth of that wall.

January 5, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Craig Mathieson
The Age (Australia)
Even though Cutler takes creative license, occasionally using animation and intertitles to insert unnecessary commentary for dramatic effect, the impact of the never-heard-before audio is astounding.

December 30, 2020 | Full Review…

Josh Flanders
Chicago Reader
It is terribly sad and one more reminder that fame on a mass level can be a curse. Why the best ones rarely feel they deserve it remains a mystery this movie doesn't try to solve.

December 30, 2020 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Ty Burr
Boston Globe
This felt more like a simple refocusing of our attention, as the parade of greatest-hits clips played on, and the admiring voices commented and sorrowed in turn. Not quite a waste, but a missed opportunity for sure.

December 30, 2020 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Lucy Mangan
Guardian
Highlighted by never-before-heard audio interviews that were part of a 2005 oral history, this polished, affecting overview is far from exhaustive but skilfully sums up Belushi's life and death.

December 30, 2020 | Full Review…

Tim Grierson
Screen International
R.J. Cutler's Belushi is a far more rounded look at the self-destructive comedy great than most of what we have seen before.

December 1, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
Packs an emotional punch in its final moments.

January 29, 2021 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
[Sn] engaging and enlightening documentary.

January 25, 2021 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

James Croot
Stuff.co.nz
Through previously unreleased interviews, voice recordings, and archival footage, the film not only explores Belushi's uncommon success, but also his enduring impact on comedy and music.

December 30, 2020 | Full Review…

Bill Newcott
The Saturday Evening Post
In what may become the definitive study, audiences are invited into his world which is illuminated by friends and loved ones through frank unencumbered conversation.

December 30, 2020 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…

Martin Carr
Flickering Myth
The documentary provides a haunting peek behind the scenes at a talented individual who gave his life to make the world laugh and asks a simple question: was it worth it?

December 30, 2020 | Rating: 8/10 | Full Review…

Jeff Ames
ComingSoon.net
While the guest voices condense the story, and breathe an even-handed life into the material, Belushi works best when it lets Belushi tell his own version.

December 30, 2020 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Tony Sokol
Den of Geek