Bryan Johnson, the tech entrepreneur who took the world by storm with his “Blueprint” regimen, is the subject of new Netflix documentary Don’t Die.
Directed by Chris Smith, whose previous documentary Biggest Heist Ever received mixed reviews, Don’t Die charts Johnson’s obsessive pursuit of longevity and the high price, both financial and emotional, he has paid for it.
Growing up, Johnson looked nothing like the disciplined, youthful figure he is today.
He was a plump teenager who evolved into a successful entrepreneur with his venture, Braintree. Yet, success came at a cost.
Johnson admits, “Late nights, sleep deprivation, and alcohol left me drained and detached.” His struggles with mental health pushed him to reconsider his life’s direction, setting him on a radical path toward health optimization.
The documentary captures the essence of his extreme lifestyle. Johnson consumes 130 pills a day, including Rapamycin—a drug with immune-boosting properties but no solid clinical trials to back it up.
Critics dismiss his methods as pseudoscience. Some claim they are more about attention-seeking than real breakthroughs. But as Johnson puts it, “Removing my mind has been the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
The Father-Son Dynamic
One of the most striking aspects of Don’t Die is its focus on Johnson’s family relationships. The spotlight is on his son, Talmage, who looks like a carbon copy of him.
Their almost reticent, slow-burning dynamic is fascinating. Yet, there’s an undercurrent of both tension and tenderness. Their relationship feels even more significant when you realize he is separated and his other two kids aren’t part of his daily life.
One reason Johnson himself admits, “I’ve never had good relationships.” This vulnerability, contrasted with his rigorous scientific pursuits, makes for a deeply human story.
At one point, we hear Chris Smith’s voice from behind the camera. He asks Bryan, “Do you want to become Talmage?” The film then cuts to Oliver Zolman, Bryan’s longevity consultant. Zolman warns, “It’s important not to over-rejuvenate because there could be risks.”
Subtly, the film weaves an undertone: Is Johnson trying to mold Talmage into his own idealized image? This subplot provides a different layer to what could have otherwise been a boring clinical exploration.
Experimental Procedures and Ethical Dilemmas
The documentary also explores Bryan Johnson’s forays into experimental procedures like gene therapy and plasma transfusions. The latter, which Johnson undergoes with his own family, is controversial and ethically fraught.
The documentary also highlights the social inequality embedded in the longevity movement. As Johnson experiments with therapies in places like Honduras, where regulations are looser, it becomes clear that these advancements are reserved for the wealthy.
Strikes a Balance Between Admiration and Critique
Overall, director Chris Smith does a commendable job of balancing admiration with subtle critique.
For every inspiring quote like “Why wouldn’t you invest earlier in life to live better?” there’s a lingering doubt: Are these efforts sustainable or simply another form of excess?
One particularly thought-provoking moment comes when the documentary points to Bryan’s meticulously curated diet selling as expensive products on his website. That raised my eyebrows. It made me wonder if his mission is truly a selfless pursuit to help society or is it more about building a massive commercial health empire?
The documentary subtly plants this doubt, but it’s super hard to ignore.
Visually, the documentary shines. Futuristic labs, sleek graphics and a brisk pace keep you engaged.
Johnson himself is a captivating subject – part health messiah, part relentless scientist. His transformation from a man contemplating ending his life to one vowing to never die is profound.
Beyond Longevity
Ultimately, Don’t Die tries to not just be a documentary about living forever. It tries and succeeds at becoming a story about making things right – with your health, your mind and the people who matter most.
Bryan Johnson’s journey is far from perfect. He strives to live longer, to not die. But in the end, it’s not just the years he’s chasing. It’s the moments – the quiet ones with his son, the ones he lost and the ones he hopes to find again.
It’s too early to say if he is going to succeed in his mission. But watching him try, you can’t help but wonder if the pursuit itself is what keeps him alive.
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