PRINTMovie Review: Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey
A story about Kevin Clash, a man as endearing as the red Muppet to whom he gave life
Photo courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes
This documentary lets viewers meet the man behind the lovable red Muppet, Kevin Clash.
November 5, 2011 | 12:00 p.m. CST
For moviegoers who find Elmo to be too babyish for their adult tastes — or maybe red isn’t their color — they might want to watch the documentary Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey before making any final opinions of this Muppet. Because by the end of this film, it’s likely that viewers will want to hug the furry monster and the man behind the lovable character, Kevin Clash.
Clash is a man of gentle enthusiasm whose tremendous talent for maneuvering and voicing puppets created the ebullience of Elmo, one of Sesame Street’s most popular characters to date. Being Elmo shows Clash in his jaunts about the nation and the world, be it offering pointers to puppeteers for Rue Sésame (the French version of Sesame Street), spending time with a child from the Make a Wish Foundation or presenting his daughter with a cake at her 16th birthday party.
Related MovieWhile the film at times feels a trifle long, it is packed with heart that makes it worth the extra time spent taking it all in. Clash, who made his own puppets in high school, is not only intriguing, but inspiring with his generosity to others and his determination that “Elmo should represent love.”
Viewers might get misty when Elmo kisses a child who is terminally ill, and will likely chuckle when the Muppet whips out some unexpected dance moves. And as the credits roll, they may find themselves wanting to shout “Encore!”
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