60
The movie is never able to get to the bottom of why the man so loved by his friends was unable to be comfortable out of the spotlight. But I Am Chris Farley is a warm, nostalgic reminder of a talent who died before his time.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
60
Worth watching for its trove of emotional testimonies from family and friends — including an atypically forthcoming Lorne Michaels and Adam Sandler — the pic is somewhat defanged by its surface-level approach and standard-issue filmmaking style.
50
The New York Times by Ben Kenigsberg
The story of dependence and excess is sadly familiar — and as with most of its material, I Am Chris Farley doesn’t find a fresh way to tell it.
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Brad Wheeler
A bittersweet salute, appraisal and explanation of the early-nineties Saturday Night Live troupe mainstay.
75
RogerEbert.com by Brian Tallerico
Captures why Chris Farley mattered, even if it does sometimes gloss over a few of the reasons our friend is no longer with us.
50
The Hollywood Reporter by John DeFore
Co-directors Brent Hodge and Derik Murray go exclusively to interviewees who lived or worked with the oversized, overenergized man, all of whom clearly loved him, and if the tone of their remarks (affectionate, amazed at his charisma) is totally predictable, the specifics have enough color to hold the interest of a casual fan.
83
Entertainment Weekly by Kyle Anderson
The film—skillfully helmed by Brent Hodge and Derik Murray and featuring talking-head testimonials from family members, friends, and costars such as Mike Myers and Bob Odenkirk—heralds "Tommy Boy" as definitive and notes how winning a romantic lead Farley is in "Coneheads".
75
As a thoughtful examination of its subject’s life, I Am Chris Farley has its moments, but it plays more like a loving tribute than documentary, as if a bunch of his friends got together to tell stories. In that way, it succeeds, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that the picture isn’t complete.
40
Los Angeles Times by Robert Abele
Perhaps fearful of venturing into downer territory, I Am Chris Farley sticks to slickly edited, bite-sized anecdotes about an attention-starved Midwestern goofball unprepared for stardom, accompanied by storybook music that accentuates Farley's childlike nature over his darker impulses.
40
Shrewder documentarians than directors Brent Hodge and Derik Murray would have balanced out the sentiment with grit. The movie is saccharine.