In general, I have issues with films about actors, about the making of films, etc.  They come up pretty frequently, of course, because the people writing and making the films identify with these characters and find their stories personal.  In my experience, though, films about filmmaking tend to fall flat.  The humanity usually takes a back seat, and the audience (let’s face it) aren’t filmmakers!

The Man in the Chair isn’t just about the formative years of a filmmaker; it’s about our culture’s collective neglect of our elderly.  No other nation in the world has as many nursing homes as we do, as they care for their parents at home.  The Man in the Chair tries to pull back the curtain on this social norm, and take a look at the state of nursing homes in the U.S. - with their common neglect and abuse of patients.  These are great concepts to work with, and a theme the viewing public should definitely ruminate on.

Unfortunately, the film falls flat.  None of the characters are interesting enough to really cling onto, and the sudden ending a little manipulative.