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One of the most highly acclaimed documentaries of all time, the Academy Award-winning BEST BOY is a profoundly touching story of love, overwhelming courage, and human dignity.In a style that is both sensitive and engaging, Best Boy follows Philly Wohl, a cheerful and loveable 52-year-old man who's been mentally handicapped since birth and still lives with his parents. When his cousin, filmmaker Ira Wohl, questions what will happen to Philly once his elderly parents can no longer care for him, the family embarks on a mission to help Philly become more independent. At once funny and heartbreaking, this inspirational record of Philly's mental and personal development follows the Wohl family as they prepare Philly for entrance into the wider world. And as they set about to change his life, their "Best Boy" ultimately proves that it is possible to overcome any obstacle, no matter how insurmountable it might seem. Also Includes: BEST MAN: In this award-winning follow-up to Best Boy, Ira Wohl revisits Philly 20 years after we last saw him. Now 70 years old and living in a group home, Philly has progressed greatly in his ability to care for himself. He takes classes, has found a beloved set of friends, visits Los Angeles to spend time with Ira, and prepares for a new rite of passage: his Bar Mitzvah. Defying all the odds and reaffirming our belief in the power of human determination, Philly Wohl has truly evolved from "Best Boy" into "Best Man."
Editor's Note
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Ira Wohl's BEST BOY remains one of the most beloved and critically-acclaimed docs of all time. Wohl's story centers around his 52-year-old cousin Philly, who has been mentally retarded since birth and has never lived apart from his parents, Max and Pearl Wohl. Now elderly, ailing, and concerned about Philly's future after their deaths, the Wohls are prompted by Ira to begin teaching their son self-reliance. As Philly moves from summer camp to training center and finally to an independent group home, BEST BOY becomes a stark but tender portrait of a family confronting life's impermanence and change. The DVD edition features Wohl's follow-up film BEST MAN, which revisits Philly 20 years later as he continues to live on his own.
Plot Summary
Documentary filmmaker Ira Wohl spent three years following his cousin Philly Wohl, a 52-year-old retarded man. Philly's parents Pearl, 72, and Max, 78, have cared for and sheltered him all his life, but now they must help him to become self-sufficient in preparation for the day when he will be forced to care for himself. The film follows Philly as he first ventures out into the world alone and meets with psychologists and counselors at a training center.
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