When you think about Pepe the Frog, what comes to mind? In all likelihood, it’s either something tied to an internet meme, or more recently, the alt-right political movement. For many, that’s the only thing that they’ve been exposed to, in regards to the cartoon frog. However, the drawing began far more harmlessly, which is detailed in the new documentary Feels Good Man. A look not just at how Pepe was co-opted, but how his creator is fighting to reclaim his creation and give it back a purer identity, this is really interesting stuff. An unusual topic for a doc, it winds up being a reasonably thorough dive into both the danger and power of internet culture. The documentary follows underground cartoonist Matt Furie, who created Pepe the Frog, both as we learn about how the cartoon character came to be, as well as how he became an internet meme. Initially, seeing Pepe become a meme and the catchphrase “feels good man” from his little comic book catch on in pop culture was delightful, if a little overwhelming for him. Furie and his partner had even planned to market Pepe a bit, with shirts and such. Then, 2016 happened, in particular with the Presidential Election cycle, where the alt-right movement on 4chan co-opts Pepe as an agent of chaos and hate. Thus begins a quest by Furie to fight back and take Pepe back, allowing the frog to no longer be a hate monger. Arthur Jones directs, with the doc’s screenplay being penned by Giorgio Angelini and Aaron Wickenden, alongside him. Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope compose the score, with the cinematography being from Angelini, Kurt Keppeler, Guy Mossman, and David Usui. This film is not what you’d expect. In fact, the doc may well be able to move Pepe the Frog away from the darkness and towards the light. By focusing on the image’s creation, as well as its evolution as a meme, there’s an understanding of its purer intentions being corrupted that’s really essential. For many, Pepe probably was thought to be a creation of the Alt-Right, not a symbol that they’ve usurped for their own means. Filmmaker Arthur Jones makes sure that you quickly learn that this was never the case. That alone helps to make this a success, as opposed to a misguided look at Pepe. Feels Good Man manages to entertain more than you might […]