Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir

Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir is a rare opportunity to hear a master filmmaker speak about his life. Both his haters and fans will agree, it is a highly watchable documentary. But don't expect either group to feel they have heard the whole story.

There's no doubt Polanski is a major artist, and his fans will probably get a lot out of his recollections, but don't expect any rigorous attention to the ethics of documentary-making. This is a personal exercise in public atonement.

An intimate and compelling, albeit sympathetic, portrait of this filmmaking legend, whose often tragedy tinged real life story eclipses his extraordinary onscreen work.

What rises to the surface and sparkles are Polanski's gifts as a raconteur, his fierce intelligence and his guile.

A fascinating, if workmanlike, insight into the life of a legend.

A fine example of how sympathetic interviewing techniques can result in a probing interview that carries insights and emotion

There are not many revelations in this docu of Polanski, but it's refreshing that it restores the balance between the director's background and incredibly creative career and the 1977 sex scandal that's dominated the media for decades.

Sycophancy is an ugly thing at the best of times, and when the subject is shouldering the story-telling burden without it, it's even worse.