Won’t You Be My Neighbor – Film Review

‘Mister Rogers Neighborhood’ is a staple when it comes to Children’s television. His show along with many others that I watched as a child are apart of me when I was young. I do remember his theme song and the puppets with the trolley used in the show, but it has been awhile since I’ve seen it to remember all the important things he touched upon as an advocate for children’s programming.

This documentary goes into the life history of Fred Rogers into his history of wanting to be minister and then hearing about television and thinking he could do something in the space for children. Throughout the documentary you can see his compassion to listen to what children have to say in order to connect with them. He covered such touchy subjects as anger, feelings, racism, disability, and death.

It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?…

It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?…

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So, let’s make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we’re together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Won’t you please,
Won’t you please?
Please won’t you be my neighbor?

There was so much compassion in his heart that he truly understood the best ways to communicate such difficult subjects. He taught children it is okay to be friendly with people of different races, sexual orientations and believes to be friends with one another. He himself had to learn to accept someone for who they were and showed true compassion for someone who was gay and slowly became tolerant.

His show today is as relevant as it was in the 1960’s. There is a lot that children can take away from now with all the allegories and metaphors that Mister Rogers placed within the show. The fact that we are still talking about him today is a testament to how iconic he was not only to PBS but to children everywhere.

9.5/10