Review: “Kid: A Gary Carter Story”

As a fan of the Mets since the early to mid-2000s, I have long known the name Gary Carter, though I must admit that I knew relatively little about him until recently. I knew that he was a member of the World Series champion 1986 Mets, that he was a catcher, and that he wore the number eight. Thus, I was unable to feel his loss several years ago nearly as profoundly as those who had grown up watching him, those who were able to see him as an individual apart from the epic group that has defined Mets fandom for three decades.


For me, the recently released SNY documentary “Kid: A Gary Carter Story” served as a well-paced, efficient, and balanced introduction to Carter as both a Met and a father. Through interviews with a range of individuals, the film juxtaposes highlights of his life as a New York ballplayer with excerpts from a blog kept to document his battle with brain cancer. The former is assembled through the words of people such as former teammates (like Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling, and Mookie Wilson), Mets broadcasters (like Howie Rose and Gary Cohen), and journalists. The latter is narrated by one of Carter’s daughters and supplemented with interview footage with each of his three children.


While it would have been simple either to depict Carter in a heroic light or to play up the drama that existed in his life off-camera, “Kid” manages to blend elements of each with thoughtful commentary throughout. It was plain to see that his children deeply loved and appreciated him, and it was equally true that his former teammates had more complicated perceptions of him. Memories of the excitement his presence caused after being traded from the Expos (Darling remembers a palpable difference during spring training) are juxtaposed with less-complimentary anecdotes (Hernandez recalls he was known as “Camera Carter” for his on-screen personality and love of the spotlight).


Ultimately, this documentary was aptly titled as “A Gary Carter Story” because it is far from a complete picture of him as either a player or a man. However, in choosing to narrow its focus, it succeeds in highlighting and humanizing Carter. For any Mets fan too young to truly remember him — or old enough to mourn his passing — watching “Kid” should be an hour well-spent.