More than Miyagi, The Pat Morita Story

Last updated
More than Miyagi, The Pat Morita Story
More than Miyagi, The Pat Morita Story.jpg
Directed byKevin Derek
Produced by Evelyn Guerrero
Starring Pat Morita
Release date
  • 2021 (2021)
Running time
89 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

More than Miyagi, The Pat Morita Story is a 2021 documentary film produced by Evelyn Guerrero and directed by Kevin Derek about the life of actor Pat Morita, Guerrero's late husband. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

Origins

Evelyn Guerrero attempted for years to get the film made but to no avail. After Guerrero was interviewed for the 2015 documentary The Real Miyagi about Morita's friend and stunt double for The Karate Kid , Fumio Demura, she offered the documentary's director, Kevin Derek, the opportunity to tell the story of Mortia's life. [2]

The production finally gained momentum following the success of Cobra Kai , the Netflix Karate Kid spinoff television series. [2]

More than Miyagi is patterned after Pat Morita's unfinished memoir with the final third covering his alcoholism. [2]

The Las Vegas Review-Journal quoted Morita saying once before his passing, "If I can help one poor bastard with this disease, then I would have felt like I did something good, that I left something good on this Earth." [2]

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly wrote, "Director Kevin Derek explores the actor's extraordinary life and varied career, from his childhood battle with spinal tuberculosis to his early days as a stand-up comedian to his later struggles with drug and alcohol addiction." [6]

Common Sense Media called the film an, "Intimate, honest biography addresses racism, alcoholism. [1]

Bleeding Cool gave the film a rating of nine out of ten, saying it was, "A heart-warming documentary about the life of Pat Morita, "More Than Miyagi" chronicles the late actor-comedian who spent his entire career bringing joy to others while chronicling battling his own demons at the end of the bottle." [7]

References

  1. 1 2 Sooja, JK (2021). "More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story". commonsensemedia.org. Common Sense Media.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lawrence, Christopher (January 28, 2021). "'More Than Miyagi' film explores complex life of Pat Morita". Las Vegas Review-Journal .
  3. ↑ Dick, Jeremy (January 8, 2021). "More Than Miyagi Trailer Celebrates the Life and Legacy of Karate Kid Star Pat Morita". MovieWeb . Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  4. ↑ "More than Miyagi, The Pat Morita Story". American Film Institute.
  5. ↑ General, Ryan (January 11, 2021). "Documentary on Iconic Actor Pat Morita Explores His Struggles With Depression". Yahoo.
  6. ↑ Baldwin, Kristen (January 8, 2021). "More Than Miyagi trailer: New documentary explores Pat Morita's life and career". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on January 10, 2021.
  7. ↑ Chang, Tom (February 1, 2021). "More Than Miyagi Shows Pat Morita's Triumphs and Tragedies [REVIEW]". Bleeding Cool .


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