Where to watch Life After the Navigator
4 Stars
A documentary that not only celebrates the classic film Flight of the Navigator (1986), but also looks at the life of its child star, Joey Cramer.
Today, we are living through the zenith of the documentary genre. Post-pandemic, it seems that people have an insatiable hunger for real-life stories. Sometimes, these documentaries can take the form of a glossy Netflix-produced true-crime series, an HBO-financed look at cult behavior, or independently produced examinations of niche but loved subjects or people. Life after the Navigator is part of the last category formerly mentioned. While seemingly fueled by crowd-funding, this is a heartwarming and fascinating documentary focusing on the post-film life of “Flight of the Navigator” star Joey Cramer.
Recently, I revised Flight of the Navigator. I saw it in a theater as a child, and it scared me at seven years old; I still am put off by the concept and coldness of the film’s first half. Life after Navigator, for me as an adult, is a far more enjoyable viewing experience, and by the end of the documentary, I was rooting for Cramer and his recovery. Joey Cramer’s pure heart comes through his eyes and smile, similar to the late Christopher Reeves. I got so caught up in the positive vibes of the picture that I restrained myself from googling ‘Where is Joey Cramer, now?” for fear that it might be negative news. Life After the Navigator ends with the former child actor attending comic cons, a brilliant solution to save the man from hardships. After watching Flight of the Navigator, the source film, and this documentary, Life After the Navigator. I was moved more by this look at the complex life of an actor we all grew up watching.
Directed by: Lisa Downs
Written by: Lisa Downs
Starring: Joey Cramer, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young