Director: Neil McGregor
“It can only happen in America” was my first thought after watching the film Hinckley I Shot the President. The event depicted in the documentary is one I remember well—March 30th, 1981—when John Hinckley attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, also injuring three others, including Press Secretary James Brady, whose injuries left him permanently disabled.
This impressive documentary is directed and produced by Brisbane-based indie filmmaker Neil McGregor. The project came about when Neil was researching music for another film and discovered an artist on YouTube whose sound and style were reminiscent of Bob Dylan. Intrigued, Neil kept listening. Who was this man? A quick click on the artist’s profile revealed the name: John Hinckley. The name sounded familiar, and a Google search confirmed that this was the same John Hinckley infamous for attempting to assassinate President Reagan, driven by an obsession with actress Jodie Foster and the Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver.
Neil couldn’t shake Hinckley’s story from his mind. It was such an unbelievable tale with more questions than answers—how does one go from committing a violent act to embarking on a music career? Curious, Neil reached out to Hinckley to see if he would be open to discussing his story and potentially becoming the subject of a documentary. Their conversation was friendly and positive, with Hinckley noting that he liked Neil’s approach. However, Hinckley initially declined as he was in more advanced discussions with another studio. Eventually, when the other production fell through, Neil got the opportunity to develop his story.
The documentary is fascinating, framed around Hinckley telling his side of the story in detail—how and why he did what he did. His early years were marked by severe mental health struggles that would later define his life and actions, including his fixation on Jodie Foster.
Neil’s wife and producing partner, Lucy Becker, began planning out what the documentary might look like. Drawing on her Master’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Lucy conducted extensive research into Hinckley’s life, mental health, court trial, treatment, and his more recent endeavours in music and art.
The film is particularly timely, considering recent events involving gun violence in America, such as the attempted shooting of former President Trump. It underscores how little has changed regarding gun control and mental health issues in the United States.
Neil faced withdrawals from distributors due to the controversial nature of the project. Even platforms known for True Crime documentaries expressed concern over potential negative reactions. This hesitation was frustrating for the production team. Despite strong interest, the tightening economy forced decisions to be more risk-averse, requiring the entire film to be produced to a fine cut before renewed interest and financial backing could be considered.
International cinematographer Simon Christidis joined the project, capturing Hinckley’s story with depth and nuance. The film delivers an intriguing narrative about how people can change. Hinckley has paid his dues, and the music he’s now producing is generating enough noise that this film could make him infamous—or famous—all over again. This will be interesting, though he does not receive any compensation from this project. This film is one to watch, offering a chance to revisit the events of that time.
Hinckley I Shot the President premieres on August 30th, with early access available for pre-purchase at https://hinckley.movie.
3 half stars
