Happy Happy Joy Joy: The Ren & Stimpy Story

I was really enjoying the first 3/4 of this documentary. It was great to see the history of one of my all time favourite shows. One that moulded the kind of adult I became and dictates the types of humour I consumed into my adult life. Then they got to the abuse stuff and it just felt like the depth of the film, up until this point, just dropped off.

The rich detail of the history of John K from a child to Ren & Stimpy becoming one of the biggest, most iconic animated shows in history and his subsequent fall from grace; was turned into this short, shallow afterthought that was glossed over with details heavily edited out. It feels like a documentary dictated by John K or by someone really trying to please him whilst still mentioning some things that can't be ignored.

I understand that this is, ultimately, a documentary about Ren & Stimpy and not about the life of John K but when the creator of something so iconic is such a controversial figure, these things can't be ignored. I feel like I was let down by the last 1/4 of this documentary. It's well worth a watch if you're looking for the story of one of the best shows ever put onto TV but if you want more depth in regards to its creators life, outside of his childhood, don't waste your time.