Leonard Nimoy Documentary ‘For the Love of Spock’ Is a Must-See for ‘Star Trek’ Fans

Allyson Gronowitz

Leonard Nimoy passed away a couple months into the production of his son Adam Nimoy’s biographical documentary, “For the Love of Spock.” But the elder Nimoy’s legacy is nothing if not eternal, as evidenced by the outpouring of love and admiration following his death. In light of this, Adam Nimoy’s intimate documentary steps up to evoke a beautiful portrait of the family man, the career man, and the man who embodied one of the best-loved characters in science fiction: “Star Trek’s” Mr. Spock.

“For the Love of Spock” begins with a montage of Spock’s greatest scenes, including, of course, his ultimate sacrifice and his declaration of everlasting friendship with Captain Kirk. After a composite news bulletin announcing Leonard Nimoy’s passing, Adam Nimoy includes voicemail recordings he received from people wishing him condolences, showing just how much Leonard Nimoy meant to so many— both in the context of the “Star Trek” universe and beyond.

Appearing on camera to discuss his father, Nimoy calls him a “Renaissance man,” dabbling in home improvement projects, producing music, and taking up photography later in life. There is also a smattering of clips devoted to the elder Nimoy’s varied entertainment career, which included directing “3 Men and a Baby,” a stint on the “Mission: Impossible” television series, and playing the lead role in Ben Shaktman’s 1974 production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” But as befits the film’s title, the majority of the screentime is devoted to the exploration of Nimoy’s influence as Spock.

Adam Nimoy secured an impressive amount of interviews for the doc, including his own sister, Julie, and his uncle, but also “Trek” co-stars old and new: William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and Walter Koenig of the original U.S.S. Enterprise crew, and Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg and (of course) Zachary Quinto of J. J. Abrams’s rebooted “Star Trek” film series, all of whom share their thoughts on the man behind the iconic Mr. Spock. Abrams himself shares a never-before-told story about Nimoy on the set of the 2009 “Star Trek” film involving a broken nose, and Pegg recalls the giddy awe of sharing a trailer with a dozing Leonard Nimoy and watching “Spock” snore. Through it all, the reverence for the man is palpable.

Leonard Nimoy’s voice is also woven throughout the film through several on-screen interviews conducted during his career and with Adam reading selections from his father’s memoir “I Am Spock.” Nimoy talks about developing the Vulcan nerve pinch, gaining inspiration for the “Live Long and Prosper” greeting from High Holiday services at synagogue, and how he envisions his character’s rich inner life. Most poignantly, Nimoy discusses feeling like an outsider while growing up in Boston as the son of immigrants, and how he channeled this into his characterization of Spock.

Since the subject of “For the Love of Spock” is the director’s father, the documentary benefits from an extraordinary amount of access to friends, family and personal archives. There are moments when the film teeters a bit too much into the director’s personal life, but he course-corrects quickly enough to shift the focus back to his relationship with his father, calling this film his “journey of discovery” with regards to Leonard. And since many of the interview subjects, obviously conversing with Adam, refer to Leonard as “your dad,” the film feels more like a soulful family gathering rather than a stiff biography.

“For the Love of Spock” flashes through a fair amount of “Star Trek” convention footage as well, incorporating heartfelt fan tributes and testimonials that demonstrate the real-life “love of Spock.” The documentary is as much a fan’s ode to a legend as it is a son’s tribute to his father. Much like Leonard Nimoy himself, “For the Love of Spock” shines through with genuine adoration for an irreplaceable man. As one billboard featuring Nimoy making the “Live Long and Prosper” sign says: “He did.”

“For the Love of Spock” will be released in select theaters and VOD Sept. 9.