I didn’t grow up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. No, my childhood wasn’t deprived, just Canadian – I had Mr. Dressup and The Friendly Giant instead. But I did know who Mister Rogers was and I’ve seen clips of the show over the years. So Won’t You Be My Neighbor looked like it would be an interesting documentary to catch. 

Whether or not your formative years involved watching Mister Rogers, this is a really good movie. It details not only the man behind the show, but also how the show began and gained momentum, how it influenced people and the consistent message of kindness it sought to spread. It shows what a dedicated advocate Fred Rogers was for childhood development and education and how, at one point, he pretty much single-handedly saved public broadcasting.

There are a lot of details shared in the movie that even those who have known about Fred Rogers their entire lives will be surprised to find out. I saw this with hubby (who did watch Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as a child) and he told me he learned a few things about the man. And perhaps the best thing about this documentary is that it doesn’t try to convince the audience that Fred Rogers was perfect. He’s a man who made mistakes and often struggled with how to convey what he felt children needed to know.

Ultimately, though, this is a feel good movie (yes, I know, not my usual thing). It makes you think about what’s going on in the world today and how much we need good people willing to make a difference. Hopefully, upon seeing this, Mister Rogers continues to influence people to choose kindness.