Some of the more touching aspects of Val come from footage of his family. As a boy, Kilmer and his brothers made short films, and we see a few. Tragically, the would-be director of the family, Wesley, drowned at 15. It affected the entire family very deeply. We see extensive footage of Kilmer’s mother, Gladys, and father, Eugene. His whole life is captured in an hour and forty minutes. To tug at your heartstrings, even more, Kilmer’s son, Jack, narrates.
“…one of the best and well-made documentaries I’ve seen in a while.”
The filmmakers did not have an easy job before them, assembling and making sense out of so much footage and material. But Poo and Scott do an incredible job, as every possible aspect you could want to learn more about is given its due and not just glossed over. We see his once beautiful relationship with his ex-wife Joanne Whalley, and it is hard not to feel bad for both of them. Even with Kilmer’s current state, he is a force to be reckoned with on-screen. We hear him talk, and it is sad to see the strain it puts on him. This is especially true if you remember how beautiful his voice was. But that just shows how resonant, engaging, and emotional the entire production is.
I think that Val is one of the best and well-made documentaries I’ve seen in a while. If you ever wanted to know what Kilmer’s thoughts were on playing Batman, you’ll find out. You also see him and Jack running around in Batman and Robin costumes. The film has a whimsical surreality to it, just like the actor himself. I hope that everyone who has grown up watching Kilmer’s work sees this. It’s pretty damn magical.
"…pretty damn magical."
