Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed
NetflixRole models with passion and good examples for unlimited generations are hard to hold onto. Bob Ross is surely one of the few. A calming presence that can be compared to that of Mr. Fred Rogers and a talent for art that made him a commercial viability, but someone who truly believed in the power of art as a social unifier and hobby for the masses. Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed is the dark story behind that. Not of Ross, but of those that tried, and sadly succeeded, in capitalising on the work he offered PBS for free. Such a legacy is picked apart, not for its impact on an audience, not initially, but more for its relevance in detailing bad business and shady dealings far away from the control of such a nice man.
“On this canvas, I have absolute and total power,” and there is a tragic beauty to that quote that is never explored. Rofé uses it to build up the beginning, but on camera and off camera are two very different tales for Ross. Expected and predictable interviews with family and friends who knew him best are utilised, with an overreliance on sound that tries to convey emotion. It is overbearing, but the aim is earnest and honest. Audiences are taken through the influence Bill Alexander had on Ross, his style and his aim as an artist. Lovely those moments may be, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed starts to lose sight of its core.
What it wishes to display so often is that Ross is a one-of-a-kind gem. That he is. A beautiful soul that tried to be as touching and active in his community as possible. That much can be inferred from his show, though. So crucial it is for Rofé to capture that, that he chases the niceties of Ross. But the show itself, The Joy of Painting, is the best example of that. Rofé uses it as a brief backdrop and soon descends into the darker portions of business espionage and backdoor dealings that screwed a good man out of a decent business. Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed is too charmed by its subject to make the hard calls on what is and is not relevant.
As Ross infamously said; “We don’t make mistakes, just happy little accidents.” But where does the line between mistake and accident blur for Rofé’s work? Unfortunate and upsetting it is to see what happened to a good man, Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed sometimes drifts away from that. Hard it may be to dig down into the facts of Ross’ life, especially when those involved controlled and destroyed the faith he had and the profits he could have made, the documentary lacks focus. It is detailing a terribly discriminatory horror show, and that impact is held firm. “Talent is a pursued interest,” is yet another of the glimmers of genius Ross throws out nonchalantly. Such a firm talent was thrown under the bus, and Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed shows that with competency, it just shifts from time to time, its thesis and divulgence of information is good, just sloppy.