Best Man: 'Best Boy' and All of Us Twenty Years Later (1997)

Mentally retarded Philly Wohl, in his late sixties, lives in a group home in Queens, New York. He takes classes, maintains relationships, is beloved by friends and family, travels to Los ... See full summary »

Director:

Ira Wohl

Writer:

Ira Wohl

Stars:

Frances Reiss, Ira Wohl, Max Wohl

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Frances Reiss
Ira Wohl	...	Self
Max Wohl	...	Self (archive footage)
Pearl Wohl	...	Self (archive footage)
Philip Wohl

Storyline

Mentally retarded Philly Wohl, in his late sixties, lives in a group home in Queens, New York. He takes classes, maintains relationships, is beloved by friends and family, travels to Los Angeles for a visit with his cousin Ira, and prepares for a rite of passage: his Bar Mitzvah. His older sister Fran is a consistent, wise, and loving presence in his life.

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Plot Keywords:

group home | bar mitzvah | airplane | widow | torah | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Did You Know?

Crazy Credits

The animal used in this motion picture was treated better than most humans are!

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Connections

Follows Best Boy (1979)

User Reviews

Not as powerful as Best Boy but...

Everyone who has seen Best Boy should see Best Man. It's interesting to see how Philly has aged in 20 years! However, this documentary lacks the emotional punch of Best Boy. I feel Ira Wohl simply made it because, as he mentions at the start of the film, so many people asked him how Philly was doing. Which is not a bad thing, but it clearly shows. Philly is alive and well in the film, and he is 72 (I think). He lives in a nice group home in New York. With his parents long gone, his sister Fran (who is now the age her mother was in Best Boy!) takes care of him the most.

Ira decides to give Philly a Bar Mitzvah, which is kind of the main premise of the movie. You see Philly fly on an airplane to California, you see him make his own coffee with ease, and, which I think is the best scene in the whole film, he talks about his departed mother. Although he giggles when talking in front of the camera, he finally sighs and goes, "Oooh, I miss her..."

Although Best Man is not as good as Best Boy, every fan of Philly should see it.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1997 (USA)

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Only Child Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Color:

Color