BECOMING ICONIC - JONATHAN BAKER: Hey, You Never Know

Featuring Jonathan Baker, John Badham, Jodie Foster, Taylor Hackford, Adrian Lyne. Faye Dunaway. Directed by Neal Thilbedeau. (2018/85 min). 

AVAILABLE ON DVD AND VOD FROM
RANDOM MEDIA

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😼

One will understandably view the subject of Becoming Iconic - Jonathan Baker with a bit of skepticism. He'd been kicking around Hollywood for a few years, mostly performing on reality TV shows, before being given the opportunity to direct his first feature, Inconceivable, which was released in 2017 to little fanfare.

Baker also co-produced this documentary about himself, which optimistically suggests he's a legend in the making. Aligning what he's doing with directors who've had decades-long careers, Becoming Iconic chronicles his efforts to get Inconceivable made, with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, along with Baker's own insights on the filmmaking process and his efforts to make-good on the opportunity.

In addition to directing, producing and performing, Jonathan Baker was apparently the film's hairstylist.

Interspersed throughout are separate interviews with the likes of Jodie Foster, John Badham, Adrian Lyne and Taylor Hackford (despite being predominantly billed, Warren Beatty doesn't really figure into this). It is suggested that Baker is chummy with these folks, but none of them mention him at all and their own directorial anecdotes are the best part of the film.

Which is not to say the rest isn't without merits. Baker sometimes comes across as pretentious and arrogant, but his sincerity can't be disputed and the enthusiasm he displays on-set is sometimes infectious. Despite playing more like a reality show than an true documentary, watching Baker work behind the scenes with his cast & crew (which includes Nicholas Cage and Faye Dunaway) is pretty interesting.

I never saw Inconceivable (hardly anyone else did, either), so I couldn't tell you if Jonathan Baker is the budding wunderkind the film paints him as. The final shot of stills placing him among the icons he emulates may or may not be hopelessly optimistic, but hey, you never know.

KITTY CONSENSUS:

NOT BAD. LIKE CAT CHOW.