You really have to be a fan of Elaine Stritch’s work to appreciate this new documentary. Filmed about a year before her death, she died in July of this year, it is a very honest look at this talented, gutsy, but abrasive woman whose life was performing. Interspersed with comments by fellow actors and friends, Stritch is shown coping with diabetes, debating whether to have a drink or not, she was a recovering alcoholic, and rehearsing for some of her last performances.
Even if you don’t count yourself as a fan, I think the viewer of “Shoot Me” has to appreciate and admire Stritch’s dedication to her craft. If you are a fan, her stories about fellow artists and her career are truthfully and well told.