Tell Them Who You Are (2004) Reviews

Another interesting documentary from this past year (which offered a LOT of them), TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE is minor documentarian/filmmaker Mark Wexler's homage/shiv-in-the-rib to his dad, major documentarian/filmmaker Haskell Wexler. There is so much going on here--history, humor, subservience, plea, revenge, to name a few--that you may finally give up trying to assess when any particular moment might be more honest and real than another. They are all part and parcel of a family's history, and consequently difficult to separate or judge fairly. Of course, when the family in question is this film-oriented, you are bound to end up with something a bit more complicated and showy than the norm. Sure, it might be different--maybe better--if we got more of dad's version (or mom's), but the son's take is plenty interesting and fun.
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A talented and stubborn father makes life difficult for his son, yet after all the insult and criticism in the world, the son makes this film to make his point. A very clever way of responding by using his father's own weapons. Don't forget to watch the father's reaction in the Special Features.
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