Val
"The life you live is the story you tell."
Val Kilmer has spent four decades filming himself as he builds a record of his life and his craft. The film gathers thousands of hours of footage, from childhood 16mm clips shot with his brothers to on set moments from Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. What unfolds is an... Read more
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Streaming availability last verified: February 22, 2026
About Val
Val Kilmer has spent four decades filming himself as he builds a record of his life and his craft. The film gathers thousands of hours of footage, from childhood 16mm clips shot with his brothers to on set moments from Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever. What unfolds is an intimate, unguarded portrait that moves between grind, satire, and tenderness. It offers a direct window into an artist who has kept refining his voice even as fame and personal battles shape his path. Without glossy triumphalism, the documentary presents a man who negotiates art, memory, and identity with humor and candor.
Directed by Ting Poo and Leo Scott, Val screens Kilmer's own footage and interviews to assemble a cinematic diary rather than a traditional biography. The project leans on thousands of hours of material spanning 40 years, from private home clips to on set sessions behind some of cinema's best known moments. It debuted in 2021 and was released on Amazon Prime Video, making Kilmer's voice and process accessible to a wide audience while preserving the raw, personal edge that defines the film.
Box office data is not widely publicized because Val plays primarily as a streaming release with selective theatrical/showing opportunities. The measure of success here lies in reach and impact, as the film invites audiences into Kilmer's creative world.
Fans and critics have responded to Val with renewed interest in Kilmer's range and resilience. By foregrounding his process and his voice, the documentary fuels conversations about aging, memory, and the enduring pull of an actor who built his career by shaping characters from the inside out.
Critics have welcomed the film as a thoughtful portrait that treats art and life as intertwined. It centers on memory, perseverance, and reinvention, offering a calm, clear look at what it costs and what it gives to chase a life in performance.
Details
- Release Date
- July 23, 2021
- Runtime
- 1h 49m
- Rating
- R
- User Ratings
- 215 votes
- Type
- Movie
- Genres
- Documentary
- Country
- United States
- Studio
- A24 +4 more
- External Links
- View on IMDB
Official Trailer
Cast
Val Kilmer
Self
Jack Kilmer
Self / Narrator
Mercedes Kilmer
Self
Joanne Whalley
Self
Director: Leo Scott, Ting Poo