Daniel Johnston,
Mabel Johnston,
Bill Johnston,
Kathy McCarty,
Jeff Tatrakov
... see more 
A decade after wowing critics with his debut feature Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King, director Jeff Feuerzeig finally delivered his sophomore effort -- a documentary about the life and musi... read more
DVD Release Date: September 19, 2006
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Stats: 1,242 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (1,242)
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May 9, 2007Incredibly interesting, well done documentary about an incredibly interesting individual called Daniel Johnston - an underground songwriter who has become an icon in certain circles, and experienced a bevy of mental problems in his life (having been institutionalized several time... read more
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August 22, 2009fb1144932598Creative genius and severe mental illness often come together in one package and such is the case with Daniel Johnston. His creative output is phenomenal with maybe a dozen self-produced albums, countless cassette tapes of his thoughts and interviews through the years, miles of v... read more
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December 14, 2010I've been a Daniel Johnston fan for a little while now, but hadn't gotten the chance to see this film until now. Really glad I did. I had known his career had been handicapped by his manic depression and time in and out of mental institutions at what was also his creative peak, b... read more
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November 12, 2008Ho hum doc about someone I really wasn't interested in beforehand and am less interested in after seeing the film. Watch Crumb again instead.
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January 2, 2008Interesting portrait of Daniel Johnston, the manic depressive songwriter.
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May 24, 2012The longest, scariest commercial for Mountain Dew I've ever seen. No, just kidding -- this is actually a very frank, and sometimes mesmerizing, documentary on the musical genius and bat-shit insanity of the eponymous alt-rocker. Even as it busily cuts through years of biography, ... read more
Critic Reviews
August 10, 2006
Michael Senft, Arizona Republic
May 12, 2006
David Edelstein, New York Magazine
I found the documentary surprisingly diverting as a case study. Full Review
April 28, 2006
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
This well-done documentary will explain why Johnston has never been able to rise above cult status ... Full Review
April 28, 2006
Bob Townsend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Feuerzeig was able to fashion such a thorough, engaging film partly because aficionados such as Lee Renaldo of Sonic Youth shot so much footage of Johnston performing and acting out. Full Review
April 28, 2006
Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer
Like Capturing the Friedmans, Devil is loaded with revealing footage, rife with psychodrama, including a creepy home movie in which the teenage Johnston plays himself and his overbearing mother.
April 28, 2006
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
... an uncomfortably fascinating document of a man whose bipolar disorder and artistic ambitions are inextricably connected. Full Review
April 27, 2006
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Devil leads us into that dark, uncharted valley where evil, genius, divine inspiration, insanity -- and other unfathomable mysteries -- commingle. Full Review
April 21, 2006
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
A searing, compassionate portrait of chronic mental illness. Full Review
April 20, 2006
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
An inspired piece of work by someone who knows and admires Mr. Johnston but doesn't cover up the warts. It's also the rare documentary possessed with an artistry that transcends its subject. Full Review
April 20, 2006
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Perhaps Feuerzeig wanted to get away from the stereotypical 'talking head' interview, but by having the subject stop periodically to rinse and spit? Full Review
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The Devil and Daniel Johnston
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