Hottoceame The Age of Commercialism

Supelice Dreadfully Boring

Gutsycurene Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Paula Warner Finally, Grant Hart has an opportunity to tell his story!One thing that struck me from the start is it's like having a good, long visit with him. He's a wellspring of all sorts of information and interesting anecdotes, and that was so well-captured in this film.Most poignant for me were the "house tour" segments. I remember the driveway, the table, the kitchen, the cats, and his dear mother. When he spoke to her spirit as he stood on the empty lot, I cried.Watching him make a collage was fascinating! I wish I had the $250 he said it looked like, so I could buy it from him. Support his art, AND give me something cool to hang up in my studio!The family photo retrospective was wonderful, and of particular interest was the picture of him with a perm. He told me the story about that once, and I couldn't imagine it. Now I've seen it, and was pleasantly surprised to see how well it suited him, back in the day.I was also thrilled that at least part of "Flexible Flyer," filmed in New Haven, was included. It was my request from him that night, and I was sitting within six feet of him as he sang. It was a really beautiful rendition.In the film, as in general conversation, Grant does not shy away from difficult subjects. He is forthright and forthcoming, and at times brutally honest.This bears watching, and re-watching, and I think I will find something new in it every time. Something I missed in all the previous viewings.Gorman Bechard has done a splendid job. I'm looking forward to the official DVD release, with all the extras.

kevin whitehead Work is a drag! It's some weeks since I made the trip to London, the Raindance Festival and the premiere of this film. A pilgrimage really – not to pay homage, more to pay respect to the songwriter, singer, sometimes maligned drummer for Hüsker Dü and star of this show, Grant Hart.The film would have worked for me, pretty much regardless. Personal history, band biography, plenty of concert footage and archive interviews (slight overuse of the 'Makes No Sense' recording, but that's fine and great if you're not familiar with it). For a fan, what's not to like? But it's much more than that. The basic construct of 'just Grant' works (as director Gorman Bechard thought it would) because Grant Hart is interesting, clearly creative and, if I'm honest, a little sad. There are many nice moments: a look at him doing his collage art (and stalking around the second-hand shop to pick up the old magazines he tears up to make them), a bit of insight into the creation of Hüsker's album covers (enough for the film, but would have loved more), Grant talking drum kits and drumming. Funny stuff too: about the collage art Grant's asked 'what would you call that?' – '150 bucks' (I think that was his price); the Husker Du impresses Black Flag story told in a Tarantino-esque animated sequence where the spurting blood red of Kill Bill's manga sequence (or may be the green tide of Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle vomit?) is replaced by the splatter of blue paint arse prints; the 'pumpkin band'! Grant also brings the necessary pathos to raise the film above the average – a bit like 'The Story of Anvil' but, like their respective musical output, less obvious. So we hear about Bob (of course), the period when he 'invested' in his blood stream, the relationship with his estranged son and the destructive fire at the family home. All have affected him, but it's the tour through his home that isn't there (completely destroyed? too damaged to be filmed?) that is perhaps the most poignant. The motivation for his slightly nutty and initially bewildering narrative is anybody's guess (this was apparently Grant's idea; was it a metaphor for his life, career?), but it's cleverly employed by the film maker, returning to it from time to time to provide a thread that holds the film together.When Gorman Bechard's Kickstarter fund for a film about Grant Hart was launched, a contribution was a personal opportunity to pay back for everything Grant has given - because as many people know, he deserves more recognition. Gorman's ambition here was brave and his film should do this for Grant because he has delivered something special, and so has Grant - in spades.And the talk of hours of unused footage means that this package can deliver even more. Something to look forward to I hope.

Caryn Rose I am a fan of the Minneapolis music scene of the 80s and saw Husker Du perform back in the day, but would not characterize myself as a huge fan. But I am a fan of Gorman Bechard's work so I was curious about his decision to make a film about Grant Hart, especially after seeing Grant in "Color Me Obsessed". I found every moment of this film absolutely fascinating, interesting, and unpredictable. Bechard managed to combine Grant Hart's musical history along with his personal and artistic history in a manner that brings you into the story, but doesn't dwell on anything so long that it becomes boring. Unlike "Color Me Obsessed," there is music and video of the band; my only complaint is that I don't think that enough of it really gave you the sense of what a maelstrom Husker Du were live. I did not realize that Hart had created all the artwork for Husker Du's albums and singles and the descriptions of that process were absolutely fascinating to me, especially in this day and age of Photoshop and digital files. I could have heard him talk about that for hours. I walked out of the film convinced that I needed to see it again, to make sure I didn't miss anything, which is probably the best compliment I could give it.

cookingwith7 If you're looking for your standard paint by numbers documentary format for just another average dull musician, then this movie is NOT for you!If instead you're interested in a vivid self portrait of one of music's most original and non-compromising artists of the last 30 years, whose pioneering band (Hüsker Dü) laid the foundation of a lot of modern music without much financial award, then I'd heartily recommend you catch up on the life and times of Grant Hart.The movie is told entirely by Grant, in his own very honest words, but is neither an ego trip nor a score settling exercise. We hear and see Grant today, as well as through a variety of flashback interviews, photographs and concert footage. Where the documentary breaks from convention is in not always conforming to the normal chronological structure when telling its story. By jumping around in time it keeps the viewer engaged on themes, rather than by the over used "album by album" approach. This is after all Grant's story, and not a Hüsker Dü documentary.The timing of the movie couldn't be better – Grant has just released a magnificent double album in 2013 to strong critical reviews. After many years, seemingly in the wilderness, this movie gives Grant a new day rising day in the sun, and hopefully more people will seek out his music because of it.