Hope Still Wears Ruby Slippers

Read Time:6 Minute, 14 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
It's Dorothy!
–

Genre: Documentary
Year Released: 2025, 2026
Runtime: 1h 37m
Director(s): Jeffrey McHale
Where to Watch: available on VOD on June 12, 2026. Now streaming on Peacock

RAVING REVIEW: IT’S DOROTHY! understands that Dorothy Gale stopped belonging to a single book, a single movie, an actress, or a single generation a long time ago. She began as a girl from Kansas trying to get home, but over the last 125 years, she’s become something far more resilient. For some people, she’s a childhood memory. For others, she’s Judy Garland wrapped in gingham, talent, and the depths of cruelty that Hollywood offered at the time. For others, she’s the icon THE WIZ, RETURN TO OZ, WICKED, stage productions, television specials, queer-coded legends, Black cultural reclamation, or proof that even the most familiar stories can keep opening new doors when different people are allowed to claim them.

Jeffrey McHale’s documentary is at its best when it treats Dorothy less as a character and more as a shared cultural representation that people idolize for different reasons. IT’S DOROTHY! isn’t some dry history lesson about one role, even though it has more than enough history to draw from. It explores this background with affection, curiosity, and a clear understanding that Oz has never been only about fantasy. The Yellow Brick Road, the ruby (or silver) slippers, the idea of home, the dream of somewhere better, and the heartbreak of realizing escape isn’t always the same as freedom have all taken on different meanings depending on who’s watching.

That could have easily become too much for one documentary, and at times it almost does. Dorothy’s legacy is almost never-ending, and McHale wants to touch on nearly every corner of it. The result can occasionally feel as if the film is hurrying past ideas that could support their own separate documentaries. Judy Garland’s impact, THE WIZ as a generational and cultural landmark, Dorothy’s connection to the LGBTQIA2S+ community, the darker ideas around RETURN TO OZ, the many women who have stepped into the role, and the way Oz continues to be reshaped by new audiences all deserve room. IT’S DOROTHY! doesn’t always have enough time to explore every idea as long as it should, but its eagerness never feels careless. It feels like the problem of loving the subject so much that you leave anything behind.

The documentary benefits from the range of voices McHale brings together. Ashanti, Fairuza Balk, Danielle Hope, Nichelle Lewis, Shanice Shantay, Amber Ruffin, Gregory Maguire, John Waters, Lena Waithe, Margaret Cho, Roxane Gay, Rufus Wainwright, Walter Murch, and others don’t all approach Dorothy from the same angle, which is the point. The film feels less interested in building one interpretation than in letting different views sit side by side. That view gives the documentary warmth. It allows a performer’s memory, a fan’s obsession, and a cultural critic’s perspective to coexist in the same space without forcing them into a single neat conclusion. Although the inclusion of Oz Historian Tori Calamito from The Oz Vlog may be my favorite inclusion, as a long-time fan of her content, her viewpoints on the history of the franchise and Dorothy are always a welcome addition.

Judy Garland remains central, and IT’S DOROTHY! is smart enough not to pretend otherwise. Garland’s performance in THE WIZARD OF OZ is so tied to Dorothy’s public image that separating the two would feel dishonest. The documentary recognizes the affection of that connection while still allowing the character to move beyond her. Garland’s story brings sadness into the film without turning the entire project into a tragedy. The balance matters because Dorothy’s legacy has always carried both wonder and pain. “Over the Rainbow” is beautiful because it dreams of escape, but it also knows why escape feels necessary.

One of the documentary’s strongest qualities is the attention it gives to Dorothy as a figure claimed by people pushed to the margins. The phrase “friend of Dorothy” alone carries decades of queer history, but McHale doesn’t reduce that connection to a trivia question. The film understands why Dorothy speaks to people searching for belonging, chosen family, transformation, and a place where their differences make sense. That’s also why the documentary’s attention to THE WIZ feels so impactful. Dorothy’s journey shifts when viewed through the lens of Black performers, Black audiences, and Black memory. It isn’t just the same story with a different cast. It becomes another way of asking who gets to dream, who gets to be centered, and who gets to find home on their own terms.

What makes IT’S DOROTHY! so enjoyable is that it never treats sincerity like an embarrassment. A lesser documentary might hide behind irony, especially with a subject this familiar and saturated. McHale doesn’t. He lets people talk about Dorothy with real feeling. He allows joy to be joy. He allows nostalgia to have critical value. He allows fans to sound like fans without mocking them for caring. That generosity gives the film its heart. IT’S DOROTHY! works because it feels like a gathering of people comparing the different maps Oz gave them. Not every map leads to the same place, but each one says something about why this character keeps surviving every reinterpretation, sequel, stage, and shift.

IT’S DOROTHY! is affectionate without being empty, celebratory without ignoring complication, and smart enough to understand that beloved characters last because people and new generations keep finding new parts of them. Dorothy Gale may have started out wanting to return home, but the lasting power of her journey lies in how many people have used her story to imagine a home they hadn’t yet been allowed to see. McHale’s film doesn’t just honor that history. It recognizes the emotion still inside it, and that’s why the documentary lands with such warmth.

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of CARRIAGE HOUSE PICTURES, DIFFERENT PLACES, JUST BRIGHT PRODUCTIONS]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support as you navigate these links.