Jim Henson Idea Man

100%

Tomatometer

49 Reviews

90%

Audience Score

50+ Ratings

"Jim Henson Idea Man" takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and beyond. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard captures Henson's restless creativity, ambition, and artistic evolution in the style and spirit of his complex subject, an artist who revolutionized television, inspired generations, and created some of the world's most beloved characters. Featuring new interviews with Henson's closest collaborators and children, as well as never-before-seen materials from his personal archives--including home movies, photographs, sketches, and diaries--Howard brings us an entertaining and insightful look at a man whose boundless imagination changed the world.

Read Less

Watch on Disney+

Stream Now

Where to Watch

Disney+

Watch Jim Henson Idea Man with a subscription on Disney+.

Jim Henson Idea Man

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A rich and warm overview of Jim Henson's life and career that avoids simplistic hagiography, Ron Howard's documentary will give audiences a much clearer idea of the pioneering puppeteer's artistry.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (49) Critics Reviews

Jim Henson Idea Man | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Amy Nicholson

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

A fairly honest portrait of him thanks to his kids, who are willing to put their fingers into his relationship with his wife, Jane... That lens into Henson's life was completely unfamiliar to me, and I really did appreciate that.

Jun 15, 2024

Full Review

Jim Henson Idea Man | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Robert Levin

Newsday

You leave the movie with a better understanding of this monumental figure, while also feeling like he's still something of an enigma. And that's as it should be.

Rated: 3/4

May 31, 2024

Full Review

Jim Henson Idea Man | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

John Nugent

Empire Magazine

Howard’s genial account of the legendary Muppeteer plays it safe, with a fairly traditional documentary-making approach — but it still manages to be adequately inspirational, celebrational and, yes, even Muppetational.

Rated: 3/5

May 31, 2024

Full Review

Jim Henson Idea Man | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Andy Klein

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

It's totally enjoyable and well put together.

Jun 15, 2024

Full Review

Jim Henson Idea Man | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

Sheraz Farooqi

CinemaDebate

A comprehensive look at Jim Henson and the iconic Muppets. Set through the lens of Henson's unique imagination and frantic need to create, Ron Howard puts together a documentary that tells the icon's life with the same flavor as his work.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 14, 2024

Full Review

Jim Henson Idea Man | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Louisa Moore

Screen Zealots

Despite an interesting subject of a beloved icon, the documentary is very straightforward and conventional, but it offers a heartfelt and comprehensive tribute to one of the greatest creative geniuses to have ever lived.

Jun 13, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (16) audience reviews

Jareth N Beautiful movie and a wonderful tribute to an amazing man. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/14/24 Full Review Audience Member A lot of insight into one of the most influential entertainment masters for GenXers. I think they could have gone deeper. It just seems to scratch the surface, for a person who has a lot of footage and stories to show who he was. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/13/24 Full Review Evan C I just watched it and it really digs deep into the whole history of Jim Henson. The last few minutes were extremely emotional for me. Definitely something you must watch! 5/5 Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/12/24 Full Review kate c Incredible storying telling of a creative genius. Time flew by watching and left me wanting to watch Labyrinth for the 1000th Time! Could the doc go more into the "mind" of his creative or his personal relationships...of course. He created so much in a short amount of time and probably achieved more than 20X the average creative in one year, so yes there is going to be a lot left unexplored. Ron Howard produced a movie that the masses could be re-introduced and entertained to the life of a non-stop innovator and creative with the majority of the movie showing old footage and film, including behind the scenes. For those who said too long...I say, not long enough. Both of this film and his life. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/09/24 Full Review Patrick H Enjoyable. but too long. I had it watch it in two viewings. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/09/24 Full Review Mike P Well intentioned but Boring documentary about legendary puppeteer Jim Henson is literally all over the place in terms of focus. Howard should have focused on four or five pivotal career highs or turning points. Instead we get literally EVERYTHING. And I mean Everything!! AND You could almost watch this documentary and miss the fact that it's all about puppets, because Howard is so unfocused in his direction. I wanted to like this movie, but I didn't, and I just can't recommend it. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/08/24 Full Review Read all reviews

Jim Henson Idea Man

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Ron Howard Director Fran Brill Self Jennifer Connelly Self Dave Goelz Self Brian Henson Self Rita Moreno Self

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Videos

View All videos

Jim Henson Idea Man

Jim Henson Idea Man: Trailer

2:16

View more videos

Photos

View All Jim Henson Idea Man photos

Jim Henson Idea Man

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis "Jim Henson Idea Man" takes us into the mind of this singular creative visionary, from his early years puppeteering on local television to the worldwide success of Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and beyond. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard captures Henson's restless creativity, ambition, and artistic evolution in the style and spirit of his complex subject, an artist who revolutionized television, inspired generations, and created some of the world's most beloved characters. Featuring new interviews with Henson's closest collaborators and children, as well as never-before-seen materials from his personal archives--including home movies, photographs, sketches, and diaries--Howard brings us an entertaining and insightful look at a man whose boundless imagination changed the world.

Director: Ron Howard
Producer: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Sara Bernstein, Margaret Bodde, Justin Wilkes, Mark Monroe, Christopher St. John
Screenwriter: Mark Monroe
Distributor: Disney+
Production Co: Disney Original Documentary, The Jim Henson Company, Imagine Documentaries
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 24, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 31, 2024
Runtime: 1h 51m