No No: A Dockumentary

2014 • 100 minutes
4.4
72 reviews
97%
Tomatometer
Eligible
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About this movie

NO NO: A DOCKUMENTARY tells the story of Dock Ellis who, on June 12, 1970, pitched a no-hitter for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 137 years of organized professional baseball, it’s the only no-hitter tossed while the pitcher was on LSD. Dock was often embroiled in controversy on and off the field. While professional baseball hadn’t fully embraced racial equality, he was an outspoken leader who lived the expression ‘Black is Beautiful!’ His fearlessness enabled him to become one of the most intimidating pitchers of the 70’s and a trailblazer for a new wave of civil rights. After retiring, Dock became as outspoken about his career-spanning substance abuse issues as he had been about intolerance. He spent decades utilizing his brash approach as a counselor, helping other addicts in their recoveries. Through intimate stories and a trove of archival footage, NO NO: A DOCKUMENTARY brings Dock’s vibrant life to light, burnishing the legend and revealing the man behind it.

Ratings and reviews

4.4
72 reviews
George Napper
September 15, 2014
Like Dock throwing a curveball, 'No No' puts an electrifying spin on the typical sports documentary format. It's brave enough to be messy, because it's messy with a purpose. Certain events are cinematically highlighted because of their emotional importance, and I found that to be a masterful storytelling device. The portion of the film about the no-hitter on LSD might seem like an afterthought to some viewers, but once you see the film in its entirety, the conext of that scene is completely justified. I was thouroughly engrossed in Dock Ellis' story from beginning to end. This film is the perfect documentary tri-fecta: it gives us all the facts, it fills us with emotion and it makes us pay attention to the filmmaking without it being distracting. 'No No: A Dockumentary' will definitely be on my top ten list for 2014.
9 people found this review helpful
Matthew B
September 9, 2014
I'm amazed that someone could take a story about someone like Dock Ellis throwing a no hitter and managing to make it boring.
1 person found this review helpful
Gabriel Jones
April 15, 2017
What an excellent piece of culture these people recorded. It was fantastic and an unsuspecting clear look at Dock and the other players, and their influence.
5 people found this review helpful