When I read the description of Shepard & Dark, a documentary about a friendship between Sam Shepard and Johnny Dark, I was on the fence about whether or not I should see it. I like Sam Shepard, but if I had to name three movies that I loved him in, I would have to go to imdb to recall the names or remember that he was in them, and I have no idea who Johnny Dark is. I like documentaries and who does not love friendship so I decided to check it out.
Shepard & Dark’s opening premise is that the two got together to make a book of their decades long correspondence. Shepard & Dark’s format leaves much to be desired. Shepard & Dark assumes that we know and are interested in the two men’s friendship and lives by delving in to this project and leaving the background to unfold as the documentary progresses. Sorry Shepard & Dark, maybe Sam Shepard was tabloid material at one point in time, but those days have been gone for a long time, and I kept thinking that maybe I made a mistake by choosing to watch it. Shepard & Dark initially felt like a self-congratulatory love fest, and I had no interest in watching.
When I started Shepard & Dark, initially it seemed like Johnny Dark was a bit of a user and got the good end of the deal, especially after his remark about being friends with a famous person, but as the documentary progresses, the script flips. Shepard’s friendship with Dark may be the longest and deepest relationship that he was able to sustain in the face of his narcissism and endless quest for achievement. Shepard & Dark leaves that the state of their friendship up in the air whereas Johnny Dark reveals that he is capable of great love, devotion and an ability to see the complexity of individuals instead of falling into gender stereotypes or emotionally stunted by past trauma.
By the end, I did not regret watching Shepard & Dark, but it is definitely NOT a must see unless you are a fan of Sam Shepard or the concept of anonymous friends of famous people.