As someone who watches about 100 documentaries each calendar year, I have to say that I have seen most supposed by spots documentaries. Firstly, because I’d rather watch True Crime or Politics. But dang if some great spots docs haven’t popped out of nowhere the past couple years to become ubiquitous.
The latest is Reggie, as in Reggie Jackson. He was THE man of his point on baseball’s timeline, his era. The filmmakers tout it as the “definitive” take on the life of the intensely beloved and rabidly hated “Mr. October.” And since they have the man himself, speaking in the first person, they might be right.
Guys my age remember Jackson as a five-time World Series champion (he shows us the rings on camera) but we learn here that he started his professional career in Birmingham at the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
Like the recent Bill Russell and Willie Mays documentaries, Jackson’s daily life on the field and off was influenced by racism and racial issues of the day. I was a naïve grade schooler impressed by the Oakland A’s players all sporting mustaches – it did not occur to me at age 9 that these things were still happening. So, for people of a certain age – there is much to learn from Jackson’s own storytelling.
A friend of mine who is a lifelong Dodgers fan and who knows more about baseball than anyone I know – well, I thought he might not want to see this film. After all – my friend’s poor Dodgers suffered greatly at the hands of Jackson and the Yankees more times than they’d like to remember.
His reply: “I like Reggie. The nobodies don’t get booed.”
The man, now 76 years old, is sharp, opinionated, cocky and confident. Just like back in the day. He’s a fantastic communicator. And that makes this a worthwhile doc.
Reggie is streaming on Amazon Prime Video Beginning Mach 24th
