Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Parent Guide

It was an accident that shocked the world. In 1995, a fall from a horse snapped Christopher Reeve’s neck, leaving him a quadriplegic, unable to move or even breathe on his own. In any context, this would be a tragedy, but the bitter irony that the man famous for playing Superman would never walk again gave the story extra weight.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is a powerful film that unsparingly documents the challenges faced by the actor, pilot, sailor, skier and father who could no longer do everything that enriched his life. It’s a story of pain, loss, courage, and resilience. It’s also a portrait of an incredibly strong marriage that’s held together by devotion and commitment.

Bouncing across the timeline of Christopher Reeve’s life, the film explores the manner in which commitment becomes a key part of his character. Marked by an unstable childhood with divorced, hostile parents; famous in his early 20s; and out of his first relationship in under a decade, Reeve knew that he struggled with commitment. Then he met Dana, who he eventually married. But it was after the accident that Reeve knew he would either die or make a commitment to living and finding a way to make a difference in the world. This movie is about how he did so, directing and acting in further films, becoming involved in political activism, and fundraising to invest money in spinal cord research. In 2009, those efforts bore visible fruit when President Obama enacted The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, bringing federal money into funding research and lifestyle support for paralyzed Americans.

More poignantly, this documentary explores Reeve’s family relationships. His wife, Dana, and their son, Will, as well as his children, Matthew and Alexandra, from a prior relationship with Gae Exton, all come together to support Reeve and each other. Their words (and his) about the power of family are the most moving in the film - and left me in tears. Even discussing the film afterwards brought on the waterworks again.

If you are looking for an inspiring, uplifting film that promotes messages of courage, persistence, selflessness, and love, you can’t go wrong with Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. There are a few content issues, principally three sexual expletives and another dozen swear words, but those are overshadowed by the positive nature of the rest of the movie. Not only is it suitable for teens, but it will probably do them some good. And as for those of us old enough to remember Reeve’s career, this film serves as a fitting farewell to a man who became a hero both on and off the screen.