I Am Chris Farley Doc Premieres at Second City, Reminds Us We’re All Human
The Second City held the Chicago premiere for Spike TV’s upcoming documentary I Am Chris Farley this past Monday. Older brother Kevin Farley and the filmmakers hosted the event, welcoming a house packed full of friends, family, and super-Farley fans at the comedian’s improv stomping ground. It was here that Farley moved up the ranks to become a standout talent on the main stage, eventually impressing Lorne Michaels and finding himself on Saturday Night Live in the 1990 season.
Following the screening, powerful applause and joyous whoops filled the room pushing through the entire ending credits. Never before have I experienced such a supportive group of people. A Q&A took place after the viewing bringing Kevin and directors Derik Murray and Brent Hodge to the stage. They first received praise from various friends, complimenting their work for showing the great person Chris Farley was and should be remembered as. Kevin shared memories from their childhood, while Murray and Hodge remarked on how many people stepped forward to be a part of the film, like SNL pals Adam Sandler, David Spade, Bob Odenkirk, and Lorne Michaels.
I imagine that everyone wonders, if only for a passing moment, how they’ll be remembered after they pass. You can live your life to the best of your ability, but your mistakes and seemingly irrelevant missteps lurk in the shadows waiting to be scooped up by someone else after you can no longer protect your past from being misunderstood. For public figures, whose lives are under a magnifying glass the instant they become something, this must be torturous. Watching I Am Chris Farley, I can only wonder if this thought gnawed at Farley’s mind.
With the help of brother Kevin, Murray and Hodge beautifully showcase Farley’s life, and that’s it. Chris’ demons are addressed, but the film uniquely focuses on humanizing the lovably boisterous comedian. It’s evident that the filmmakers sought to celebrate the life of an incredibly talented comedian instead of viewing Chris as a specimen. And that’s what is so incredible about I Am – Chris is a human that made mistakes, yet his life is not defined by those wrongs.
I was only three years old when Chris Farley died. I grew up watching reruns of him on SNL with Matt Foley, the Chippendales sketch, you name it. But I also grew up associating Chris Farley with drugs and rehab. I Am offers the rare opportunity to reevaluate ourselves in how we view others and in how narrow of a view we perceive other’s lives. According to brother Kevin Farley, “Chris would have hated [the movie]. He never liked praise.” Maybe, just maybe, Chris would at least appreciate the honest depiction of his life and find some joy in the numerous lives he touched.
I Am Chris Farley is in theaters July 31st and premieres on Spike TV August 10th at 10pm
