The Other Fellow

The Other Fellow
Promotional release poster
Directed byMatthew Bauer
Written by
  • Matthew Bauer
  • Rene van Pannevis
Produced by
  • Matthew Bauer
  • Michelle Brøndum
Starring
  • Gunnar James Bond Schäfer
  • James Alexander Bond
  • James Bond Jr.
  • Gregory Itzin
  • Tacey Adams
  • Charley Palmer Rothwell
  • Chae-Jamal McFarlane
CinematographyJamie Touche
Edited byLesley Posso
Music byAlastair McNamara
Production
companies
Mission Brief
Jante Films
Distributed byGravitas Ventures (North America)
NjutaFilms (Scandinavia)
Bulldog Film Distribution (United Kingdom)
Release dates
  • June 22, 2022 (2022-06-22) (Doc Edge)
  • February 17, 2023 (2023-02-17) (USA)
  • May 19, 2023 (2023-05-19) (UK)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Other Fellow is a 2022 British documentary drama that explores the lives of real men around the world who are named James Bond.[1] The film combines interviews with live action footage and re-enactment sequences of its subjects. The film was written, produced, and directed by Australian director Matthew Bauer.[2][3]

Synopsis

[edit]

The Other Fellow begins in 1952 at the Goldeneye estate in Jamaica, when British author Ian Fleming creates the character of 007 for his first novel Casino Royale and gives him the name of James Bond, which he takes from an American ornithologist of the same name who was an expert on birds of the Caribbean.

Seventy years later in 2022, the film follows several main characters who share the name James Bond. The characters include Gunnar James Bond Schäfer, a superfan of all things 007 with his own James Bond Museum in Sweden;[4] James Alexander Bond, a gay theatre director in New York City who finds the name a hindrance; James Bond Jr., an African-American man in Indiana State Prison awaiting trial for murder;[5] and ornithologist James Bond and his wife Mary in Philadelphia, who confront Ian Fleming about the impact his use of their name has had on their lives. The film also includes an additional main character: an unnamed woman living in an unspecified location in England.

The film explores themes of identity, fandom, and the impact of the worldwide digital and cultural footprint of the James Bond franchise on the lives of people who share the name James Bond.[6][7]

The title comes from the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. In the film, George Lazenby replaced Sean Connery as the actor portraying James Bond, who at the time was the only film actor to have played the role and was a very well-known figure. The first scene of the film features James Bond saving a woman, but instead of kissing him, she chooses to drive away. He then says "This never happened to the other fellow," referencing Sean Connery's portrayal of James Bond. Bauer told Filmink: "These are the situations that our characters face – continuously being in the shadow of this movie icon. For me, it's 007 who is 'the other fellow' – the fictional character."[8]

Cast

[edit]
  • Gunnar James Bond Schäfer Self - 007 Museum Curator (as Gunnar Schäfer)
  • James Alexander Bond as Self-Theatre Director
  • James Bond Jr. as Self-Inmate #280938
  • Gregory Itzin as James Bond - Ornithologist
  • Charley Palmer Rothwell as Johannes Schäfer
  • Tacey Adams as Mary Wickham Bond
  • Matthew Bauer as Self - Director (voice)
  • James Bond as Self - Ornithologist (archive footage)
  • Chae-Jamal McFarlane as James Bond
  • James Bond as Self

Production

[edit]

The film's director, Matthew Bauer, decided to make the movie after contacting hundreds of men named James Bond on social media and discovering that many had unexpected and dramatic stories to share. He interviewed around a hundred James Bonds, and narrowed it down to fifteen characters that were featured in the film, five of whom were the main characters.[8]

Bauer told Variety magazine: "What interested me was not so much that these men are named James Bond, but how the name connects them to a global media phenomenon – literally, emotionally, and especially digitally. The real plot of The Other Fellow centers around the surprising ways its force pushes and pulls their lives in the most unexpected directions. And how it connects them together in ways you'd never anticipate."[7]

Filming

[edit]

Filming took place between the premiere of the James Bond film Skyfall until the premiere of No Time to Die.[8] The film was shot in various countries including the United Kingdom, USA, Jamaica, Sweden, Italy, Canada, India, Thailand and Guyana.[9]

Release

[edit]

The Other Fellow had its World Premiere at the 2022 Doc Edge Film Festival as its Opening Night Film[10][11] where it won its category and was nominated for Best International Feature.

The film had its UK Festival Premiere at the Screenplay Film Festival[12][13] in a programme curated by Mark Kermode who introduced the film as "genuinely astonishing, surprising, uplifting & funny."[14] The USA Premiere was at the Austin Film Festival where it was nominated for Best Documentary[15][16] and European Premiere at the Dinard Festival of British Cinema[17][18] where Xavier Bonnet of Rolling Stone chose the film as one of his top films saying, "The idea resembles those born out of nowhere at the end of a drinking spree between friends: to go in search of strangers around the world whose surname is that of a certain agent 007."[17]

It also screened as the Opening Night Film of the Alameda International Film Festival[19] and Aegean Docs,[20] Closing Night Film of Dok Belgrade[21] and at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival,[22] San Francisco Independent Film Festival,[23] Chagrin Documentary Film Festival[24] and Docville.[25]

It was picked up by Gravitas Ventures for a February 17, 2023 North American theatrical release[26][27][28] and by Bulldog Film Distribution for a May 19, 2023 United Kingdom theatrical release.[29][30]

The film was acquired by Amazon Prime Video for a June 1, 2023 USA streaming release[31] and by ITVX for a January 4, 2024 United Kingdom streaming release.[32]

Worldwide, the film is available on various streaming services including Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, Canal+, Tubi, Google Play, Vudu, Filmin, ViaPlay, SBS on Demand, Blockbuster, Microsoft Store, yes, The Roku Channel, Xumo, DocPlay, Vimeo, Sky Store, TV3, Telia Play and Plex.[33]

Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a score of 93%, based on 27 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Breezy in terms of length yet surprisingly expansive with its scope, The Other Fellow uses the experience of sharing a world-famous role to pose probing questions of privacy and identity."[34]

Mark Kermode gave the film a positive review on Kermode and Mayo's Take saying “I must say that when I started watching it, I was like: 'This is an entire documentary about people called James Bond? How is this possibly going to fill a feature length film?' But there are enough interesting stories in there to more than keep your attention gripped" and that "you should see the documentary. It's a far more interesting film about people called James Bond than you would expect it to be."[35]

Several reviewers gave The Other Fellow four stars: John Nugent of Empire called it "an extremely watchable look at a unique naming phenomenon — with surprisingly profound results."[36] Stuart Mulrain of the BBC said "there's so much more depth to this than I was expecting. I thought it would just be this really light, fluffy thing. But it's so much more than that and it's wonderfully put together. It’s perfectly paced. It’s genuinely compelling. I was generally surprised by it."[37] Alan Ng of Film Threat wrote, "Through research and diligence, filmmaker Matthew Bauer managed to string together an intriguing and engaging film."[38] Richard Crouse of CTV wrote, "The Other Fellow isn’t a James Bond film, or a film about James Bond films. Instead, it is an intriguing and well packaged look at what it is like to be James Bond, or at least carry his name."[39] Jennie Kermode of Eye for Film wrote, “This documentary might sound like a bit of fluff, but it delivers some surprisingly profound stories."[40] Brian Orndorf of Blu-ray.com called it "a gimmick turned into a fascinating sit by Bauer."[41] Peter Gray of The AU Review described the film as "Funny and poignant" and that "Bauer’s lens feels welcomingly progressive and, most importantly, laced in a relatability and humanity that isn’t always afforded by the character’s incarnation."[42] Erika Jarhed of MovieZine called it "a skillfully composed, and unique, documentary that manages to include everything from comedy to tragedy."[43]

Leslie Felperin of The Guardian called it a "whimsical film and non-famous James Bonds."[44] Gary M. Kramer of Salon.com called it an "illuminating documentary."[45] Edward Porter of The Sunday Times said that "each tale has its own piquancy"[46] whilst Guy Kelly of The Telegraph called it "strangely fascinating."[47]

Kevin Maher of The Times criticised the film for "focusing on Swedish super-fan Gunnar Schäfer who, in 2007, formally changed his name to Nils Gunnar Bond James Schäfer"[48] whilst Wendy Ide of The Observer said the film "dedicates too much time to a rather off-putting Swedish Bond obsessive who has officially changed his name and is possibly a few cylinders short of the full Aston Martin."[49]

Many reviewers highlighted the film's plot twist: Mark Kermode cited "this one central story which when it's introduced you think: 'Where is this going? This is almost like I’ve changed channels? Why is this happening?'"[50] James Sullivan of The Boston Globe said, "Like any good Bond film, there's a bit of mystery that goes unsolved until the closing minutes" and that "How James Bond fits into this particular story - well, it's shocking. Positively shocking."[51]

Accolades

[edit]
Date of ceremony Award Category Recipient (s) Result REF
2022 Doc Edge Film Festival Best International Feature The Other Fellow

Matthew Bauer

Nominated
And Action... Won [52]
Austin Film Festival Best Documentary Feature Nominated [53]
British Independent Film Awards Best Debut Director (Feature Documentary) Matthew Bauer Longlisted [54]
2023 National Film Awards Best Documentary The Other Fellow

Matthew Bauer

Nominated [55]
Chagrin Documentary Film Festival Human Spirit Award The Other Fellow

Matthew Bauer

Won [56]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ The Other Fellow, retrieved 2023-01-21
  2. ^ Gray, Peter (2022-12-12). "Film Review: The Other Fellow breaks the imagery of masculinity and misogyny associated with James Bond in a funny and poignant manner". The AU Review. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  3. ^ "The Other Fellow documentary world premiere at the Doc Edge Festival". RNZ. 17 June 2022.
  4. ^ "007 Museum-Nybro". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  5. ^ "Trial begins for South Bend man accused of murder". ABC57. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  6. ^ "The Other Fellow releases trailer and announces theatrical and on demand release dates". Bond Lifestyle. 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  7. ^ a b Barraclough, Leo (2022-09-06). "Reservoir Docs Picks Up Documentary 'The Other Fellow,' Debuts Trailer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-01-21.
  8. ^ a b c Smith, Magda (2022-12-07). "Bauer, Matthew Bauer and The Other Fellow". FilmInk. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  9. ^ "The Other Fellow releases trailer and announces theatrical and on demand release dates". Bond Lifestyle. 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  10. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2022-06-21). "Harry Potter Greenhouse Set Added to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – Global Bulletin". Variety. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  11. ^ "Matt Dillon Lands Locarno Award; Channel 4 Order; DocFest International Competition Jury; James Bond Doc — Global Briefs". Deadline. 21 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Screenplay film festival kicks off on Tuesday". Shetland News. 2023-08-27. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  13. ^ "Screenplay: A blessing and a curse – how it feels to be the 'real' James Bond". Shetland News. 2023-09-04. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  14. ^ Mark Kermode Presents The Other Fellow - 2023 Screenplay Film Festival #documentary #primevideo, retrieved 2023-10-02
  15. ^ Machen, Rod (October 21, 2022). "Austin Film Festival Selection The Other Fellow Looks at Life Being Named James Bond". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  16. ^ "New documentary 'The Other Fellow' showcases the lives of real men named James Bond". KEYE. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  17. ^ a b "Dinard Festival du film britannique : les attentes". Rolling Stone (in French). 2022-09-25. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  18. ^ "Encore! - Dinard Festival of British cinema: 'Emily' takes home top prize". France 24. 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  19. ^ "Films". Alameda International Film Festival. Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  20. ^ Chara. "Official Selection for the Competition Program of the 11th AegeanDocs International Film Festival, 17 - 22 October 2023". www.aegeandocs.gr. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  21. ^ "Filmovi – DOK#5" (in Serbian). Retrieved 2023-06-06.
  22. ^ Funston, Meg (2022-07-13). "The name's Bond? Director Matthew Bauer discusses his 007-related doco". ScreenHub Australia. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  23. ^ "The Other Fellow | The Other Fellow & Q&A | San Francisco IndieFest 2023". watch.eventive.org. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  24. ^ "Happenings — what's coming up in Northeast Ohio starting Sept. 29". News-Herald. 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  25. ^ "The Other Fellow". docville.be. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  26. ^ "Gravitas Ventures swoops for trio of titles, including Matthew Bauer's 'The Other Fellow' (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  27. ^ "Exclusive The Other Fellow Trailer Looks at the Many Real James Bonds". ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  28. ^ The Other Fellow - Official Trailer - IGN, 12 January 2023, retrieved 2023-01-24
  29. ^ "Reservoir Docs scores UK-Ireland deal for 'The Other Fellow', boards 'The Cemetery Of Cinema' (exclusive)". Screen. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  30. ^ "The Other Fellow". bulldog-film.com. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  31. ^ "Amazon.com: The Other Fellow : Charlie Palmer Rothwell, Chae-Jamal McFarlane, Matthew Bauer, Rene van Pannevis, Matthew Bauer, Matthew Bauer, Michelle Brøndum, Kiran Chitanvis, Gerald JC Crump, Jennifer Eriksson, Jasper Knight, Julian Meagher, Mark O'Connell, Costa Vakas: Prime Video". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  32. ^ "ITV January 2024 monthly highlights". ITV. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  33. ^ "WATCH". The Other Fellow. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  34. ^ The Other Fellow, retrieved 2023-01-24
  35. ^ "Kermode & Mayo's Take: The Other Fellow, Nam June Paik, Movies with improbable physics, Take It Or Leave It, and Pretentious Moi? on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  36. ^ "The Other Fellow". Empire. 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  37. ^ "Steve Kitchen - Jon Smith sits in (05/06/2023) - BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  38. ^ Ng, Alan (16 February 2023). "The Other Fellow | Film Threat". Film Threat. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  39. ^ "Movie reviews: 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' has some funny moments, but ends up a let down". CTVNews. 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  40. ^ "The Other Fellow (2022) Movie Review from Eye for Film". www.eyeforfilm.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  41. ^ The Other Fellow (2022), retrieved 2023-06-16
  42. ^ Gray, Peter (2022-12-12). "Film Review: The Other Fellow breaks the imagery of masculinity and misogyny associated with James Bond in a funny and poignant manner". The AU Review. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
  43. ^ The Other Fellow: Spännande dokumentär om verklighetens James Bond(s), retrieved 2023-06-16
  44. ^ Felperin, Leslie (2023-05-17). "The Other Fellow review – whimsical film about non-famous James Bonds". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  45. ^ Kramer, Gary M. (18 February 2023). "In "The Other Fellow," real people named James Bond reveal the blessing and curse of the 007 moniker". Salon.com. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  46. ^ Porter, Edward (2023-06-05). "Under the Fig Trees — and other films to watch this week". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  47. ^ Kelly, Guy (2023-05-10). "The real-life James Bonds on the curse of sharing a name with 007". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  48. ^ Maher, Kevin (2023-06-05). "The Other Fellow review — how did Bond get to be this boring?". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  49. ^ Ide, Wendy (2023-05-21). "The Other Fellow review – no, I'm James Bond…". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  50. ^ "Kermode & Mayo's Take: The Other Fellow, Nam June Paik, Movies with improbable physics, Take It Or Leave It, and Pretentious Moi? on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  51. ^ Sullivan, James. "This guy's name is Bond . . . James Bond. He's one of several featured in the new doc 'The Other Fellow.'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  52. ^ "Awards". Chagrin Documentary Film Festival. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  53. ^ Banks, Khoi (2022-10-05). "Austin Film Festival Announces AFF29 Competition Films". Austin Film Festival. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  54. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2022-10-24). "Phoebe Dynevor, Charlotte Wells Among British Independent Film Awards New Talent Longlists". Variety. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  55. ^ Joseph, Sara (2023-05-17). "Nominations for the 9th annual National Film Awards are announced". National Film Awards. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  56. ^ "Awards". Chagrin Documentary Film Festival. 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
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