For many years, I’ve been a fan of Charlie Sheen (yes, even during those years). Growing up with Two and a Half Men as my favourite TV show — a show that helped me through times that weren’t so great — I was keen to dive into his very raw and open documentary, AKA Charlie Sheen, now streaming on Netflix.
The documentary is accompanied by a brand-new book titled The Book of Sheen, which goes into more detail than I feel the film does in portraying this Hollywood legend.
AKA Charlie Sheen is a three-hour-long documentary, split into two 90-minute episodes. At times, it feels like it goes on a bit. The first episode explores Charlie’s upbringing and family, with a heavy focus on his childhood and his relationship with his father, Martin Sheen. It feels like it’s all building up to something, painting a picture of the man himself — and most importantly, it’s told by Charlie in his own words.
This surprised me, as documentaries of this type usually rely on a narrator and interviews about the star. Rarely does the subject feature so intimately and remain so involved, but Charlie’s presence here makes it unique.
Charlie approaches the documentary with candour, pulling back the curtain on deeply personal and sensitive information, with a staggering reveal towards the end.
Not one to shy away from controversy, he dives into his rise to fame, his public meltdowns, his struggles with addiction, and his more recent attempts to find stability in sobriety.
The documentary also features interviews with friends, ex-wives, and even former colleague Jon Cryer, who starred alongside Charlie in Two and a Half Men. Cryer’s segments are brutally honest in their assessment of Charlie, and it’s revealed that the two still haven’t spoken, despite Charlie admitting he owes Jon a phone call.
Charlie also expresses regret over not ending Two and a Half Men properly, even suggesting he’d be open to returning. Of course, given how his character was killed off, it’s hard to see how that could happen — but hey, it’s TV, and anything can happen.
One notable omission is the feud between Charlie and Chuck Lorre (the creator of Two and a Half Men), which is barely touched on. Similarly, some darker allegations are skimmed over. These omissions mean the documentary avoids some of the depth and intrigue viewers might expect. Still, perhaps some things are best left unsaid.
While AKA Charlie Sheen does drag in parts, the use of archival footage alongside present-day reflections helps illustrate the various stages of his career, making it engaging, even if occasionally padded.
The documentary is compelling in bursts, but it could have been tighter. At times, it feels overlong, with more detail than was necessary.
That said, I love that Charlie told his story this way — in his own words, rather than through newspaper clippings or other people’s interpretations. The documentary comes across as brave and respectful, particularly towards those impacted by his behaviour.
It’s well worth a watch, though by the end, there are still more questions left unanswered than resolved.
Our Rating
Summary
aka Charlie Sheen is well worth a watch but at the end of the documentary there’s a few more questions to be asked than answered. There’s a brutal honesty here throughout but there’s still a few layers kept quiet leaving the audience wanting more, insert book plug here.
With 9.7M views in its first week Charlie is still a big draw for fans and hopefully this documentary allows him to get back on our screens and deliver more comedy gold or any other acting role of his choosing!
