This was a good documentary. If you watch the trailer you'll understand that it's centered around McQueen's search for faith and how he became a Christian about a year or so before passing. However, it still chronicled his life from birth to death. There were a ton of great interviews highlighting both his public and personal life. It would have been helpful to interview his children but who knows why they didn't. Who knows the relationship he had with them. I feel like it was an honest movie showing both his darker moments as well as his search for something greater. It's crucial though to watch the trailer so you fully understand the premise of the movie. Apparently some people just saw that it was about Steve McQueen and didn't understand it would somewhat focus on his journey of faith.
12 Reviews
Puedo-Insightful Doc about a Famous Legend
Swingjake25 October 2017
I felt the film did his name justice to a certain degree with a Christian lean which is fine by me if the Truth is presented about it. There were times that felt rather forced with insights that could have been looked up on the Web which I find as a minor insult as the host decides to drive Bullitt's Mustang around in the form of Stephen McQueen which rubbed me the wrong way because the story is about Stevie and shouldn't allude to anything else. The King of Cool smirks, drops his head and chuckles at certain parts of this piece but still thanks us for keeping him in mind as a token of faith in the walk.
General Good but turns into Christian Propaganda
marriottjason26 July 2019
The movie starts really well and is an interesting coverage of Steve McQueens life. Its a very personal and frank discussion about McQueen as person, and actor. Unfortunately, the movie clearly turns into a Christian propaganda movie. Rather than sticking to the subject with a focus on McQueen is finishes promoting Christianity, and push the religious agenda. Disappointing they are using McQueens reputation as a vehicle to promote Christianity.
A Mystery Solved
Sueso3 August 2021
Pastor Laurie was taking us on a journey. I too, like him, had heard that Steve McQueen, one of my favorite actors, had become a Christian near the end of his life. But I had always wondered if it was true and how it happened...I love that it DID happen and that it happened before his diagnosis of cancer. This answered all my questions and gave a great overview of Steve's private life and public life...Thank you to all for sharing Steve's story, like he would have wanted. The part about Billy Graham was amazing!
Wonderful Documentary!
thunderknightentertainment7 May 2019
I applaud the producers of this documenatry and the skill it took to make it. Everyone knows the man, hollywood legend Steve McQueen; but no production yet has had the courage to unveil one of the long lost qualities of McQueen's life which is his acceptance of Christianity into his life. The cinematography, the writing and the wonderful interviews truly give us a fantastic and inspiring look into this side of McQueen's journey, and in my mind the most important element of his life and legacy. Great job to the production team and Minster Greg Laurie for a job well done! - ThunderKnight Entertainment LTD
Nobody gets out alive!
HoosierBob9 March 2020
I have always had an interest in the career of Steve McQueen, at least since he starred in the TV series "Wanted Dead Or Alive".
Steve was born near my home, at St Francis Hospital in Beech Grove,Indiana..a suburb of Indianapolis.
A former U.S. Marine, McQueen used his G.I.Bill to attend acting classes and using his fierce competitive traits (learned in his rough childhood and military service), he refused to take the same "door in the face" experienced by so many new actors..and instead wedged his way into acting jobs..working as an extra against some of the biggest names in the business, till he himself became noticed for his talents, and the crowds he was pulling in at the box office.
By the Sixties, he had become the highest paid of the bunch, and was recognized as the world's greatest actor.
Steve spent his money as he made it and while he partied, he also took time to give to charities...and supported the Boys Ranch which helped raise him when his family had basically abandoned him.
In spite of his financial wealth, and talents...like all of his, he learned the hard way we are all mortal, and each of his has a date with destiny.
Steve was diagnosed with a Cancer...and even with his money, the illness could not be beaten.
This movie is based on the book (written by ex-wife) Barbra Minty), and it details how Mr McQueen learned to face his own mortality, and the decisions he made as that final curtain started to come down.
His priorities were adjusted and even towards the end, we see in this remarkable film how he continued to live unafraid, with the same courage he displayed on that motorcycle in The Great Escape...(even though it was his friend Bud Elkins who made the final jump, due to the studios demands).
This is IMHO the absolute best biography of Steve McQueen and shows his life from beginning...to end...and never leaves the viewer on a "downer" feeling as one might expect of a film showing those final days.
Very Incomplete Documentary
shark-4312 March 2018
As others have mentioned, this documentary just feels "off" - for real film buffs - they barely cover the films and the actual artists who helped him, discovered him - three separate times they just refer to "the director" as opposed to mention John Sturges by name. Sturges - the guy who cast him in a small role in the forgettable NEVER SO FEW but instantly saw the star potential - well, it was surges who then cast him in THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN and then THE GREAT ESCAPE. So to not even mention Sturges by name is just lazy - McQueen would have had no career without Sturges. And I know McQueen loved cars and motorcycles but they spend more time on fast cars than they do his films. So it's really not what it claims to be. If you nothing about the actor, I'm sure you'll learn about him and enjoy it but it is rather lame and thin when it comes to a true reveal of the man.
Christian Propaganda
activatewheneveryoneelsedies17 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Being of a younger generation, I don't understand my parents'-what? Respect? High regard?-they have for him. So I was mildly curious when they bought this and watched it, thinking it would be a real biography: childhood experiences that got him interested in acting, his slow yet destined rise to fame, how he got into character, how he choreographed chase scenes, etc. Etc.....but it's more like an informercial for Billy Graham.
The minute I saw Mel Gibson, I thought, "can this get any worse?" Oh, it got worse.
Yes, they mention a couple movie and television series he was in, interviewing guys who are always sitting in front of old cars and airplanes, including the "bullet" car...but, it's like a christian commercial for evangelicalism, specifically Billy Graham's version of that garbage.
It was mostly about how Mr. McQueen liked Billy Graham, how he would call him whenever he was feeling bad, discussing whether Mr. McQueen was really "born again," how often Mr. McQueen would flip through Billy Graham's personal bible-it was nauseating.
And did we learn anything about Steve McQueen: the Man, the Myth, the Legend? No. But we are somehow supposed to believe that while under general anesthesia to remove the cancerous tumors from his internal organs he died clutching Billy Graham's Most Sacred Bible On Earth (tm) in his hands.
What really destroyed the believability of this narrative were the snippets of interviews with Mr. McQueen-audio only-in which the pre-christian and post-born-again voices sounded nothing alike. Did being baptized by Billy Graham change his accent?
The minute I saw Mel Gibson, I thought, "can this get any worse?" Oh, it got worse.
Yes, they mention a couple movie and television series he was in, interviewing guys who are always sitting in front of old cars and airplanes, including the "bullet" car...but, it's like a christian commercial for evangelicalism, specifically Billy Graham's version of that garbage.
It was mostly about how Mr. McQueen liked Billy Graham, how he would call him whenever he was feeling bad, discussing whether Mr. McQueen was really "born again," how often Mr. McQueen would flip through Billy Graham's personal bible-it was nauseating.
And did we learn anything about Steve McQueen: the Man, the Myth, the Legend? No. But we are somehow supposed to believe that while under general anesthesia to remove the cancerous tumors from his internal organs he died clutching Billy Graham's Most Sacred Bible On Earth (tm) in his hands.
What really destroyed the believability of this narrative were the snippets of interviews with Mr. McQueen-audio only-in which the pre-christian and post-born-again voices sounded nothing alike. Did being baptized by Billy Graham change his accent?
A religious promotion film disguised as a documentary
dbehrman61028 September 2017
I should have done my homework! ... If I'd only read the full description of this film on IMDb, I would have known it wasn't a "documentary"at all, rather it's a religious conversion film dressed up as a documentary.
Something smelled funny about it as I was walking in the theater ... it just wasn't a "Steve McQueen" audience. And then when the film was preceded by a promo and trailer for a film about the "contemporary Christian band" Mercy Me, I knew something was wrong. That was followed by a video intro conversation between Pastor Greg Laurie and Steve McQueen's widow Barbara "Barby" Minty McQueen that was full of vague allusions to Steve's "transformation". ... As soon as that was over, I walked out, choked down the $12.50 ticket price for this Fathom Events disaster.
I'll do my homework going forward ... especially for any Fathom Events offering that isn't a classic film or a simulcast from the Metropolitan Opera.
Something smelled funny about it as I was walking in the theater ... it just wasn't a "Steve McQueen" audience. And then when the film was preceded by a promo and trailer for a film about the "contemporary Christian band" Mercy Me, I knew something was wrong. That was followed by a video intro conversation between Pastor Greg Laurie and Steve McQueen's widow Barbara "Barby" Minty McQueen that was full of vague allusions to Steve's "transformation". ... As soon as that was over, I walked out, choked down the $12.50 ticket price for this Fathom Events disaster.
I'll do my homework going forward ... especially for any Fathom Events offering that isn't a classic film or a simulcast from the Metropolitan Opera.
Do not be fooled like i was.
bsacks-8286428 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
" Spoiler Alert" I am a huge McQueen fan, and when i saw this was going to be at my theater i bought tickets without reading about it. Very misleading title, as it shows McQueen in his Le Mans drivers suit and has American Icon in the title. First sign was the crowd at the theater, not a McQueen crowd. Very little about his movies and i noticed no interviews with his first wife or his kids. This is nothing but an attempt to make a religious film using McQueen and his death as a story line. Waste of my time and money.
About McQueen's Faith
cdjones729 September 2017
This film is not about Steve McQueen's life. It's about his Christian faith. It touches on very little before he was born again in the last year of his life - after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. I didn't mind the the subject matter, but I left feeling like I didn't learn much about his life leading up to his diagnosis. I felt deceived. These were full-priced feature cinema tickets. I wish they'd been more up front about the subject matter.
Who is this movie really about?
cotk3521 October 2019
As a witnessing tool, I'd rate this a 7 out of 10. However, the movie's title is misleading because the production is more about Pastor Greg Laurie than Steve McQueen. A much better biographical film is "I Am Steve McQueen" (2014) by Director Jeff Renfroe. Also, I believe Marshall Terrill's book "...The Life and Legend of a Hollywood Icon" is being made into a movie.
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