I was surprised by this documentary. It began as you'd expect, a run of the mill tribute style show on conjurer, illusionist, master of slight of hand Ricky Jay.
He does a few tricks, others talk about his skills and knowledge in awed and glowing terms, including Steve Martin. Simply another forgettable 'TV spot' style film. But the documentary travels this familiar path until somewhere into the second half, when it suddenly asks the question of what type of person might be a magician.
And bam, it tugs aside the curtain and gives you a peak behind the facade, behind the showmanship. A momentary glimpse into precisely the type of person that Ricky Jay is. And it ain't pretty.
The film, despite a formulaic start, takes on a sinister twist that I found fascinating. It's worth hanging in for the peak behind the magic.
He does a few tricks, others talk about his skills and knowledge in awed and glowing terms, including Steve Martin. Simply another forgettable 'TV spot' style film. But the documentary travels this familiar path until somewhere into the second half, when it suddenly asks the question of what type of person might be a magician.
And bam, it tugs aside the curtain and gives you a peak behind the facade, behind the showmanship. A momentary glimpse into precisely the type of person that Ricky Jay is. And it ain't pretty.
The film, despite a formulaic start, takes on a sinister twist that I found fascinating. It's worth hanging in for the peak behind the magic.