I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale (2009)

hyped garbage

Highly Overrated But Still Good

Admirable film.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

It is good that this picture exists. Don't get me wrong. John Cazale was one of the purest "character" actors of his generation. But Cazale is due something much longer and more comprehensive than the mere 40 minutes he is allotted here. It covers just enough in 40 minutes but it will undoubtedly leave any viewer wanting more--quite a parallel to a fantastic life and career cut short.

Unfortunately this one here was fairly short just like Cazale's life. Actually, in terms of minutes, it's almost than the age that he had in years when he succumbed to his cancer. The director is Richard Shepard and he won an Emmy and DGA award for directing the pilot episode of "Ugly Betty". Right now, he is mostly working on "Girls". So with female central characters in these two, this documentary is exactly the opposite. It tells us about the great late actor John Cazale, who would have turned 80 this year. I like that there is no real narration in this documentary, but that we get basically all the information from interviewees. And there is a healthy mix too. Some of these are people who worked with Cazale in his films, such as De Niro, Pacino, Hackman, Coppola... and of course Meryl Streep who was his girlfriend back in the 1970s. Others are actors who did not, but who were greatly inspired by his talent, such as Steve Buscemi, who always reminded me a bit of Cazale, and Sam Rockwell. Some people say Cazale has the most perfect body of work in film history and that's certainly a possibility. There is no real flaw in everything he acted. Another thing that is very good in this documentary is that it is not a problem if you haven't seen all his classics. There are no real spoilers in here, so you can enjoy this documentary nonetheless. And I hope you will enjoy it was much as I did. Highly recommended.

When you think of legendary movie actors names such as Brando, Pacino, De Niro, and Duvall are some that come to mind. But one that rarely, if ever gets mentioned is John Cazale. In the opening scene in this documentary ordinary people on the street are shown a picture of the Godfather cast and while they can name the actors playing their respected parts. the one they don't know is John Cazale who played Fredo Corleone. Cazale only acted in 5 feature films (The Godfathers I & II, Dog Day Afternoon, The Conversation, and The Deer Hunter). He was 42 when he died of lung cancer in 1978, but his impact on movies is still felt today and I feel that had he lived he would be talked in the same breath as his friend and acting legend Al Pacino who along with De Niro and Meryl Streep (who was at one time engaged to Cazale before his death) pay tribute to him as well as actors whom he influenced such as Steve Buscemi and Sam Rockwell. This documentary is worth watching to let people know about the man who could have given us so much more had he not died so young. Rest in Peace John Cazale.

John Cazale only made five films - but all classics. The Godfather, The Godfather II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon, The Deer Hunter. A superb actor, he died early and has largely been forgotten.However this touching and incisive tribute goes some way to addressing that. Showing footage from his films interspersed with talking heads of film critics, colleagues (Coppola, Pacino), former fiancée (Meryl Streep, who is gracious in her praise), this profile is excellent, highlighting his theatre career and his influence on those who worked with him or saw his performances.There is little doubt that Cazale had the makings of greatness, despite being unconventionally good-looking. He's always been an actor I've noticed, particularly as Fredo in The Godfather and Sal in Dog Day Afternoon. This film hints at what could have been had he lived.A short but sweet documentary, 'I Knew It Was You' is well worth a look if you are a fan of classic cinema, whether you're aware of Cazale's work or not.