Deep with emotional resonance, this look at the life of Christopher Reeve will make you realise he was so much more than just an actor playing Superman or the victim of a life-altering accident. His heroics are reflected in the love his family felt for him and their interviews are difficult to not be affected by.
Reeve, who started his acting career in the theatre was plucked from relative obscurity by landing the role of Superman over a large number of Hollywood hopefuls including Neil Diamond! Landing this gig was a double-edged sword though and he suffered from being typecast as the man of steel for the rest of his active acting career. It forever limited him in the choice of acting roles offered to him.
The fame that came from being the lead in Richard Donner’s film as it became a worldwide phenomenon was overwhelming and Reeve did his best to enjoy the fruits of his labour, this was the seventies after all. He kept busy acting until 1995 when his life was forever changed after he was thrown from his horse during an equestrian event and was paralysed from the neck down.
It speaks to the man’s character that this event became the nucleus for his transformation into a full-time activist. His fight for expanded research into spinal cord injuries and providing aid to people with those injuries became his life’s work. His drive and determination were very impressive, but what’s most extraordinary about the Reeve presented in Super/Man is how much love and affection he instilled in his family. Their displays of emotion will warm even the coldest of hearts.
Rob Hudson
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