... while Spielberg, arguably the greatest film auteur of the last century, turns his own life into a performance. This two and a half hour marathon of a movie breaks almost every known rule of film-making, twisting story arcs, jumping tone, teasing out moments that should be quick, and quickening segments that should be drawn out. Yet Spielberg might be the only one in the industry that can get away with that, and still end up with a final reel that touches you in unexpected ways. The moment that Ali first put on a pair of boxing gloves clearly deserves some acknowledgement. Ditto for the moment that Bob Joyce first picked up a guitar. But the challenge in this movie for Spielberg was to share with the audience the intimate details of the moment he first picked up a camera, and somehow make that memorable. He succeeded. The movie, although challenging for the viewer at first, ultimately accomplishes the same thing as its cinematic hero. It earns your respect. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))