THEROUX THE KEYHOLE by Louis Theroux

 

Well, this was interesting, unexpected, not your usual Louis-cool as a cucumber-insightful-slightly wacky documentary maker. It could be seen as boring, dull, repetitive, self-indulgent, entitled. And it is, but I also think it works because it describes a time, a recent time, when this is how life was for your average white middle class professional family during the year 2020-2021. When life as we knew it stopped. And what life was like for many. So - relatable. 

A world famous documentary maker finds himself living his own weird life in the yo-yo first 12 months of the pandemic. Stuck at home with his long suffering, tolerant and patient wife - I think it a miracle they are still married - and their three sons - 15, 12 and 5. Both parents working, 3 boys to school, manage, feed, keep healthy mentally, physically and emotionally. Along with millions of other families around the world doing the same hard yards. 

Whether Louis actually kept a diary during this time who would know, but it all reads as very real. And here sitting on the other side of the world, without school age children and not in a situation where either of us had to work from home, I could  still relate to much of what this family went through. Louis was so lucky in that he made two escapes to the US, working on his latest TV series featuring Joe Exotic, some rappers and a few others living their best lives. Sorry rest of the family - stuck in your London house for days and weeks on end. 

Louis seems to be very self aware, self deprecating, seemingly happy to make a fool of himself - honest in his own emotional journey through all this. He struggles as a dad-at-home, agonises over how much time his boys spend on devices, and how little time they spend on school work. His relationships with his boys is really quite lovely, especially 5 year old Ray, who fortunately doesn't' fully understand what is going on. A child's imagination is a wonderful thing and Louis immerses himself completely in his boy's magical mind. I think I would too if I was living his home life - nothing like a bit of escapism. 

I got to like this very much, Louis's ramblings, his attempts to be seen to be doing the right thing, his struggles at being the perfect husband and father. Just another weird human being, like his interview subjects. Inside the jar for a change. His year comes to an end, and I particularly liked his final chapter - a lovely reflection on what the year has done to and for him. It was not in any ways easy, but that old saying about tough times being character building, contributing to resilience and self awareness ring true here.