The life and career of the renowned stage magician turned scientific skeptic of the paranormal, James Randi.

We have some great classic footage, though some is a bit fuzzy by modern standards. The well-known debate with Uri Geller is here, but also a pretty thorough section on Peter Popoff, whose story I did not know about. It is sad to know that these guys get debunked and keep on going.

The film also focuses on Randi's relationship with his boyfriend of twenty-five years, José Alvarez, who at the time of filming, had been discovered to be living under a false identity, calling into question "whether Randi was the deceiver or the deceived." This is quite a fascinating twist, as the great debunker turns out to have been sharing his life with the greatest con of all.

This is an interesting biography about James Randi (a.k.a. 'The Amazing Randi') but it's also one that seems very muddled and confusing towards the end--such that I really wasn't sure WHAT the filmmaker intended with this movie. Most of the film is about Randi's crusade to expose charlatans who prey on people by using magic tricks and labeling them either psychic powers or powers from God. When talking about this, the film was at its best and the first 85% of the film makes SANE viewers admire and love Randi and his work.

However, towards the end, Randi's partner gets in trouble with the law for identity theft. His reasons seemed understandable but instead of just leaving the story there, the filmmaker ODDLY chose to then include a bunch of interviews with Uri Geller--all of which was left unchallenged by Randi or his associates. Giving a questionable character like Geller this opportunity just seemed bizarre as well as ran counter to the spirit of the rest of the film. I didn't understand this at all and it completely confused the film--and seemed unnecessary and, perhaps, a bit underhanded. Overall, I say watch the film but just turn it off near the end or read up on Geller--he's certainly no saint!!

James Randi is known as a master magician, escapologist and illusionist. In recent years he is better known as a man who exposes fake psychics and faith healers.

He regards conjurers as honest people, psychics and faith healers as being dishonest, who swindle people from their money and at worse dangerous with their quack medicine.

The film traces Randi's life from downtown Toronto to when he first saw his magic show and his interest in Harry Houdini. He was a regular in the American late night talk show circuit since the 1970s.

However from the 1970s onward when the likes of Uri Geller and Peter Popof showed up on television with their amazing feats, Randi felt the need to expose these charlatans. Geller's spoon bending was just good conjuring and in The Johnny Carson Show, Geller was stumped that night because the producer had followed Randi's advice in setting up the props.

Popof used Jesus to cure people but he knew their ailments because it was all fed to him on a mic wired up to him as his researchers talked to the audience before hand.

Still as Geller said these days despite people being more rational and educated, despite Randi's efforts there are more psychics, faith healers and flimflam men than ever before. Both Geller and Popof are plying their trade.

The last part of the film delves into Randi's personal life. The film hints at his sexuality and his relationship with a young Venezuelan José Alvarez who has been his companion for several decades. However Alvarez suffered an expose of his own with immigration authorities causing Randi no end of troubles and heartache as to what he really knew.

This was an enjoyable watch, nice to see him embarrass the likes of Geller and Popof but really they are coated with some kind of Teflon as they have no shame. The money is out there and Geller and Popof just reinvented themselves and still grabbed it. The film hints was this all for nothing?