REVIEW: 'Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey'

While searching The Associated Press for photos of Elmo at work the other day (for actual work purposes), it dawned on me that while I had been captivated by the trailer for Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, I had never gotten around to seeing the film. Once that clicked, I hopped onto Amazon and immediately ordered the DVD. As someone who loves the Muppets and Jim Henson's work, I couldn't allow Being Elmo to go unwatched on my part any longer.

Being Elmo is one of the most uplifting and warm-hearted films that I've watched in a long time. A documentary that chronicles the life of Kevin Clash as he grows up from a boy in Baltimore to one of the most well-known Muppeteers in the world, Being Elmo is a must-watch for anyone who grew up watching Sesame Street or the Muppets. The movie goes beyond just Clash's story, giving the world an inside look at not only how Muppets are made but also how they are infused with their unique personalities.



Growing up, Clash idolized Henson and his team of Muppeteers, building his own puppets, working his way through local TV and then shows like Captain Kangaroo until he finally reached the promised land: Sesame Street. After working with Muppets like Hoots the Owl and a collection of characters that never caught on, Clash got the chance to make Elmo, a Muppet that wasn't working out, his own creation. Clash took Elmo from a castoff Muppet to a global icon.

Despite his fame, the humble gratitude that Clash has for having the chance to work along side Henson and on Sesame Street is apparent. The Muppet creator was a special talent, and that doesn't escape Clash. Henson died over 20 years ago at the age of 53, much too young for anyone to pass. Being Elmo shows that while Henson is gone, the spirit of what he was doing lives on through people like Clash.

As a child, I watched Sesame Street every day. Those characters were real to me, and seeing those row houses with the garbage can outside and Hooper's Store in Being Elmo instantly bring back memories of the show. To know that Sesame Street means as much to Clash and the people working on the show as the show meant to someone watching it at home lets me know that I placed my faith as a child in the right show.

I hope that kids today have that same experience. As I've lamented before about animated movies, everything today seems so manufactured, so formulated to get the cheapest laughs and the quickest dollar from kids. Sesame Street never did that.

The film took home a Special Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and I wish it had been honored at last year's Oscars. We've been led to believe that for a documentary to be great it should be about war or death or catastrophes, but Being Elmo is a story that we can all relate to. That deserves our applause just as much as the grim documentaries.