The Buddha (2010)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

It's the rare documentary that is a therapeutic experience but I felt soothed and comforted by this gentle examination of the life of Buddha, the young Indian prince who abandoned a life of privilege to seek enlightenment. It surprised me to learn that, according to legend, the young prince Siddhartha had a kind of immaculate birth -- springing from his mother's side!Narrated by Tibet advocate Richard Gere and the actress Blair Brown, whom I had not heard about since her "Molly Dodd" days, this film offers all manner of colorful and thoughtful commentary from a variety of monks, scholars, and writers. In one segment, an impressively agile practitioner of yoga -- a means of "harnessing the energies of the body to tame the mind," which can be "as restless as a monkey" -- performs stunning breathing exercises and some impressive physical contortions.The Dalai Lama explains how enlightenment can be the hard work of each one of us, with the Buddha a presence to light our way.In all, this was a tranquil and thought-provoking excursion.

Just as the core of Buddhism is centered on very simple principals,this documentary attempts to convey the life of the founder of this mindset,way of life;(religion)in an unobtrusive way, much as the man himself may have wanted it portrayed, I should think.The story is portrayed simply as a fable, but since it is about a real man with real ideas that have helped billions, it is treated with dignity and restraint because of the sensitive nature of modern society when it comes to the nature of our existence,and personal religious beliefs.The glowing faces and tone of the monks and HHS Dalai Lama are vivid reminders of a simple monk with a simple recipe for a higher existence on this earth that is still available for all.

This is a very informative documentary, and one that doesn't try to shove anything down your throat. Nor does it try to use guilt or fear in an attempt to sell some sort of moral message to the viewer. It simply just gives you as much info that is known about the life of the Buddha. It also explains some of the teachings and beliefs that the Buddha went on to develop and share. This film gives a general overview of the Buddhist way of life and thought. The pace of this documentary is also very good, this aspect makes it very easy to pay attention. Richard Gere with his smooth voice also suits the film perfectly as the narrator. And of course he is also a Buddhist himself. The visuals are great here as well. I highly recommend this to everyone. Whether you consider yourself a spiritual person or not, this is certainly worth a look. It is very interesting stuff, and this is well crafted material. Check it out!9/10

I found this documentary very instructive. I saw it on PBS, which is very well known for its high quality documentaries. And this one just follows that tradition. Buddhism is a beautiful religion/philosophy and was portrayed in the documentary in a simple and easy to understand manner. The music adequately accompanies the narration and the beautiful animations.The Buddha's story is very touching and reflects the endless quest of humanity for peace. Peace starts with one's self, to be able to reflect it on the outside world.Personnaly, it opened my eyes and heart at life. Will definitely meditate more often now. Highly recommended.