FANTASIA 2020: Feels Good Man
fantasiaServing as the directorial debut for Arthur Jones, the documentary Feels Good Man which is streaming as part of the 2020 Fantasia International Film Festival chronicles Matt Furie's change in heart from an innocent bystander to active fighter for the direction his global meme Pepe the Frog took and explores a side of the internet that would be impossible to see from nearly any other perspective.
For those who have been on the internet for more than 5-minutes, chances are they have run into a Pepe the Frog meme. Built into the backbone of internet culture, the emotional frog has become one of the biggest memes ever created only to fall with seemingly the snap of a finger. As American politics heated up going into the 2016 election, Pepe became a symbol for the Alt-Right. The narrative of Pepe supporting white supremacy grew rapidly even causing the image of Pepe to be declared a hate symbol. No one struggled with this turn of events more than Pepe's creator.
Right away, the talent within Feels Good Man is on display. From a captivating and clean organization to engaging editing, there is no doubt that Feels Good Man stands out as one of the most well-made documentaries of the year which is even more impressive considering that not only has 2020 been an incredible year for documentaries, but this is a directorial debut. It is clear that Arthur Jones really took the time to think about the film they were making and how to best portray its story. Many documentaries simply jump into the rabbit hole bringing the audience on an authentic yet messy exploration of its subject matter as various new details and developments pop up. Feels Good Man wisely takes a step back and decides to organize itself to give the most impactful viewing experience which is undoubtedly the right move.
On paper, it seems like a film exploring the life of Pepe the Frog would only be so deep, yet the actual depths the film reaches are shocking. There has never been such a comprehensive and clear look at internet culture and the harmful subsections within it. Feels Good Man breaks down not just why Pepe the Frog became a viral sensation but why so many took to it as a symbol for hate and why people would embrace dangerous and horrible ideals in the first place. The film is aware of the common argument made that these jokes are simply jokes, only to then prove the dangers beyond those just trolling on the internet. In many ways, the journey of Pepe the Frog is simply a catalyst for the film to explore the rise of the Alt-Right on sites such as 4Chan and how they can affect real-life politics and life which is truly haunting. Where obviously the film casts judgment on those trolls, it also doesn't hold Matt Furie innocent either. Unknowingly, Matt Furie allowed this to happen and the film is very open to criticize how he handled the early stages of Pepe taking off in popularity as a meme causing the narrative to be built to feel honest and authentic.
Where the film features the undeniable lows of Pepe's journey, the end promises that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Not only does it show the power that Matt Furie has as a creator offering a clear example of why creators should turn to copyright their work while they can, but socially also. A major discussion within the film is the way that the internet will take a symbol and transform it into something completely different than how it started. Where this is shown in a negative light with the Alt-Right, it also is shown as a positive with the Hong Kong Protestors using Pepe as a symbol for freedom and resistance. For all the negativity in the world and on the internet, there also is plenty of good which is something that shouldn't be forgotten.
Feels Good Man impresses not just as one of the best documentaries of the year so far but one of the best films in general. It is masterfully crafted, creating an engaging story that will have audiences on the edge of their seats from start to finish. For those who engage with internet culture, the film is near must watch and should be seen as soon as it becomes available.
