How well do you know yourself? Of course you know what you’re good and bad at and which characteristics you’d rather hide from others, but would you be willing to really look deep into yourself? And if you would dare to do so, would you be willing to do something about it and talk about the less positive sides of yourself? Would you dare to be vulnerable? Tony Robbins has managed to make a name for himself by writing self-help books and tours the world giving presentations. He looks like a professional wrestler, with big hands and a huge jaw. He constantly curses to shock the visitors to his events and wake them up. He’s so popular though that people are willing to pay $5000 to be present during his “Date with Destiny” seminars. In this documentary he is followed during the six-day seminar and as a viewer you get a look into his idea of working.
Robbins is a very charismatic man who is capable to talk to people in a way which makes them open up and share their problems and have them willing to see things differently and take action. Whether that’s a person who is suicidal at the start of the film or a woman who calls her boyfriend to end her relationship after Robbins tells her while 2500 people are listening. I Am Not Your Guru is really a concert film which is mainly about what happens on the conference floor, the people he helps and the moments at which the music swells and succeeds in making the people present feel something. Director Berlinger occasionally shows what is happening behind the scenes, but there aren’t enough of them. Because of that you don’t get a look into Robbins the person instead of his public image. Still it is fascinating to see what he is able to do and the impact he has on those attending. Because if he is someone who helps them getting their lives back on track again the way in which he does so doesn’t really matter. If you are looking for insight in his ways, it is not something this documentary offer, but it can be inspiring to watch.
Hi Nostra! I actually can’t stand motivational speakers. I dunno why but I’m instantly skeptical of them, so I’m really not interested in this doc. That’s incredible that someone’s willing to pay $5000 to attend his show, wow!
Yeah, it’s not my thing either, I’m too down to earth to really get pulled into these type of things. But in the end if it helps some people than that’s a good thing.