Have you ever ‘Googled’ yourself? Meet the Jim Killeens: an Irish priest, a retired cop, a father of eight, a Scottish traffic engineer, a sexual swinger, and even an Australian CEO.
Los Angeles filmmaker Jim Killeen embarked on a journey one night that took a year of his life, had him traveling the world, and teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. All to chronicle his burning curiosity on what made these other Jim Killeens tick.
Fascinating, touching and insightful, ‘Google Me’ shows six strangers welcoming Jim into their homes and lives. You will join the filmmaker on a journey that touchingly leads him right back to himself with the realization that we are all truly connected in the world!
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Google Me Review
"While Googling himself, Killeen wondered about the men he was finding who shared his name. What was their story? What kind of Jim Killeen were they? Scraping together a small budget and a camera crew, Killeen set out to meet these gentlemen, searching for connection in our disconnected age, and molding the end result of his peculiar adventuring into the charming documentary, “Google Me.”
…So who does Killeen meet from his Googling efforts? Well, there’s an Irish priest who enjoys pubs and biblical wisdom; a retired NY cop who’s genuinely hesitant of Killeen’s intentions with this documentary; a Denver swinger with skeletons in his closet; a St. Louis salesman with airtight Christian values and a horde of kids; a wonderfully affable Australian social worker with a penchant for beer and local football; and a shy Scottish road engineer. These are all Jim Killeens spread out over the globe, each sharing their story to help the filmmaker confront his own past.
“Google Me” is a tremendous amount of fun once Killeen starts visiting Killeens. Mixing the entertainment value of culture shock with the mystery of who Killeen will meet next, the picture ambles along nicely, uncovering production hiccups and successes (including poker tournament fundraising) with a breezy presentation. It’s a likable film with earnest intentions to explore the global village and probe these men for spiritual discussion, with Killeen asking the Killeens the ultimate question: “What is man’s purpose?”
For Killeen, “Google Me” is a chance to face his own shattered past. Making himself the final chapter of the journey, Killeen uses the doc to purge his personal demons, taking the lighthearted picture into serious dramatic realms that might disorient some viewers. However, I was rather fond of this direct fingerprint applied to the movie, as it gives the experience a little more edge than jokes about priests “having the crack” and Denver Killeen’s sexual adventures previously suggested.
Visiting Google headquarters and a family reunion of sorts in Killeen, Texas close out the “Google Me” checklist, ending the film on a hopeful note of connection and lifelong friendships forged. There’s even a “Maury-ish” DNA reveal to keep the suspense going. “Google Me” should by all accounts be forgettable fluff, but Jim Killeen’s passions always motivate the material, and this appealing documentary finds the right note of compassion to hold on. You’ll never look at endless search results the same way. dvdtalk.com