The film includes interviews with several recovering alcoholics who are photographed in dark shadows to maintain their anonymity, and also makes use of dramatic reenactments to visualize key events in Wilson's life.

The filmmakers were able to unearth little-seen archival footage and previously unpublished photographs of Wilson and the people in his life.

[4] The film opened on limited release in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday, May 18, 2012.

[2] An extensively re-edited and extended “director’s cut” version of the film (116 minutes) was aired on PBS starting in September 2016.

[8] Ernest Hardy in his Village Voice review described the film as "a loving, exhaustive, warts-and-all look at the man who spent years battling his own alcoholism before a spiritual experience in the hospital set him on the course to help others.