Synopsis

Robert De Niro is famous for his award-winning portrayals of gangsters, criminals and socially disturbed men who show surprising traces of vulnerability. By analyzing his astonishing roles in iconic films through the years, the documentary reveals the complex actor behind these extreme characters. Because the public knows little about the man who is largely silent about his own life and emotions, this film tries to unwrap one of the most fascinating and enigmatic American actors of all time for the audience. For this the filmmakers use clips from his feature films, archive footage of his sparse interviews and probe into his background to illustrate De Niro's methods for becoming the characters he plays and the reasons he's able to do so. All of this culminates in a rare exposé of the genesis of the hidden pain that enables the masterful actor to bring such intensity to the big screen.