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The Devil and Daniel Johnston

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Documentary · Music · 2006

This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.

Movie details

The Devil and Daniel Johnston

2006 Documentary · Music 1h 50m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.7 / 10

Community rating

This 2005 documentary film chronicles the life of Daniel Johnston, a manic-depressive genius singer/songwriter/artist, from childhood up to the present, with an emphasis on his mental illness and how it manifested itself in demonic self-obsession.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Devil and Daniel Johnston?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jeff Feuerzeig

Written by

Jeff Feuerzeig

Daniel Johnston

Daniel Johnston

Self

B

Bill Johnston

Self

M

Margie Johnston

Self

M

Mabel Johnston

Self

J

Jeff Tartakov

Self

K

Kathy McCarty

Self

D

Dick Johnston

Self

Court is in session

Put The Devil and Daniel Johnston on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.