'Love, Antosha' film review: Heartfelt tribute to a son, friend & artist

A loving portrait of a natural talent and a loving son, the touching documentary 'Love, Antosha' (opening in theaters Aug. 2) is a joy-filled and poignant celebration of a young man taken far too early.

In short: The life and career of actor Anton Yelchin ('Like Crazy' and 'Star Trek'), featuring narration by Nicolas Cage.

Thanks to some endearing home videos, his own hand-written notes and intimate personal letters, 'Antosha' allows Yelchin to tell his own story, in his own words. It's easy to look at his imdb page and be impressed by his robust resume, but that's not the point of this documentary. This isn't merely a tribute to a movie star - 'Antosha' is the evolution of an artist who cannot simply be summarized as just an actor.

The ultimate testament of any person is how their peers feel about them - the fact that fellow filmmakers like John Cho, Frank Langella, Kristen Stewart, Ben Foster, J. J. Abrams, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jodie Foster, Willem Dafoe and Jennifer Lawrence sat down to share their personal stories about Yelchin speaks to how respected he was by his contemporaries. While 'Antosha' tracks Yelchin's career, it also reveals how his personal growth behind the camera informed his decisions in front of the camera.

The film shares Yelchin's endless curiosity, his insecurities and a relentless drive that helped him explore new roles and overcome personal, private hardships. The heartbreak of 'Love, Antosha' is seeing the young actor's wholehearted commitment and inquisitiveness -- and feeling the lack of a career cut too short.

'Antosha' is infused with Yelchin's loving words for his friends, family and his chosen passion - and his loved ones reminiscing the young man's life as an actor and as a man living with a life-long artist. Everyone speaks of Yelchin so warmly, recounting stories of his silliness and artistic depth with a broad smile -- but with subtle melancholy underlying their words. For an actor whose life and career was tragically ended sooner than it should have, 'Antosha' keeps his spirit alive in the media he obviously loved so dearly: film.

Final verdict: 'Antosha' captures the love and respect Yelchin's friends obviously had for him, and the enthusiasm he had for so many creative endeavors. This documentary is a affirmation of his love for creation and artistic discovery.

Score: 4.5/5

'Love, Antosha' opens in theaters Aug. 2. This documentary has a running time of 92 minutes and is rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity.