Jim Henson Idea Man is a 2024 American documentary film directed by Ron Howard, about puppeteer Jim Henson. It premiered at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, in the Cannes Classics sections on May 18, 2024. It premiered on Disney+ worldwide on May 31, 2024.

Summary

The film chronicles Henson's life, from the early years of his career to the creation of properties like The Muppets, Sesame Street, and The Dark Crystal, and also focuses on his creative and romantic partnership with his wife Jane Henson. The film features interviews with family members and collaborators of Jim Henson, including Frank Oz.

Production

A biographical feature film based on Jim Henson's life, known as Muppet Man, had been in development at Walt Disney Pictures and The Jim Henson Company since 2010. The project was based on a spec script written by Christopher Weekes, which had topped the 2009 Black List. In April 2021, it was reported that Michael Mitnick was hired to rewrite the screenplay, previously written by Aaron and Jordan Kandell. Lisa Henson would serve as producer. In March 2022, another attempt to adapt Henson's life, as a then-untitled Jim Henson Idea Man, was announced, stating Ron Howard and Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment was partnering with Disney+ on a documentary "with the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family". The film's title, as well as its scheduled release date of May 31, 2024, on Disney+, were officially announced on April 11, 2024.

Reception

= Critical response

= On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 61 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A rich and warm overview of Jim Henson's life and career that avoids simplistic hagiography, Ron Howard's documentary will give audiences a much clearer Idea of the pioneering puppeteer's artistry." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 69 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Michael Nordine of Variety felt Idea Man is a conventional documentary "whose feel-good charms are undercut only slightly by its adherence to the tried-and-true nonfiction formula ... If it's easy to wish Idea Man were as bold as its subject, though, it's just as easy to be won over by this deservedly heartfelt tribute to him." Matthew Carey of Deadline Hollywood reflected on the prior documentaries made about Henson's life and career, but felt "[Ron] Howard brings fresh energy to the subject through the skillful use of animations based on Henson's impressive drawings and wonderful archival rarities that go beyond what has been seen in previous treatments of Henson's life." For The Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Feinberg wrote Idea Man "delivers less perspective on Henson's personality and motivations than sheer evidence of his drive. That's fine, and the documentary is fine. Anybody with affection for Henson and his work will get the requisite laughs, nostalgia and probably emotions from the footage Howard assembled here." Kate Erbland of Indiewire graded the film a B+, writing despite the star-studded interview appearances, "Howard leans into honesty. The film is so much better for it, even as it can't quite capture the full magic and scope of Henson's life and work."

= Accolades

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References

External links

Official website Jim Henson Idea Man at IMDb