Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson & The Band

I love the history and the old footage of one of my favorite groups, both the concert films and the personal shots, but this documentary is horribly biased toward Robbie Robertson, while three people who might tell a different tale are dead. In particular, Robbie says that after The Last Waltz, "everybody just forgot to come back." This ignores the fact that he declared the group done, without asking the other four members, and ignores the fact that they went on to record multiple albums without him. Again, I'm glad this film exists, but I worry that anyone would consider it to be the complete story.

"Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band" (2019 release from Canada; 100 min.) is a documentary about the Band. As the movie opens, today's Robbie Robertson addresses the camera and talks about his music-writing process. We then go back in time to the origins of the Band, as talking heads like Bruce Springsteen and Eric Clapton comment on how tight these 5 guys were, "like a brotherhood". We then go back even further in time, to Robbie Robertson's upbringing in Canada and how he was exposed to music at an early age. At this point we are 10 min. into the movie.

Couple of comments: this movie is directed by documentarian Daniel Roher, but more importantly executive-produced by Martin Scorsese (who of course directed "The Last Waltz") and Ron Howard. In the end credits, we learn that the documentary is "inspired by" Robbie Robertson's 2017 memoir "Testimony", and indeed this is very much Robertson's perspective on how things unfolded. The documentary is absolutely tops in its first half, where we revisit how Robertson, at age 15, wrote a couple of songs for Ronny Hawkins & the Hawks (where the drummer was a certain Levon Helms), and a year later he was invited to join the Hawks. Plenty of archive footage along the way livens up the big screen, and it's like sitting at the feet of a music history teacher. Indeed, Robertson proves to be quite the master story teller ("joining Bob Dylan was a detour but we decided it was a worthwhile detour"). The movie's second half is not quite as formidable, as we follow the Band's demise (leading to the brilliant 1976 farewell concert "The Last Waltz"), and the subsequent bitter falling-out between Helms and Robertson. But in the end, the proof is in the pudding: I couldn't believe how quickly the theater's house lights came back on, as the movie had simply flown by in no time. When in the last scene of the movie we watch them play "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" in "The Last Waltz" and we are reminded that it was the very last time these 5 guys ever played on stage together, I readily admit that I choked up. What a loss for rock music that was!

"Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band" premiered last Fall at the Toronto International Film Festival to great acclaim. It opened last weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati and I finally got a chance to see it this weekend. The Friday early evening screening where I saw this at was not attended well (3 people, to be exact), and I can't see this playing much longer in theaters. But it you are a fan of rock music history or simply a fan of the Band, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be in the theater (if you still can), on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

I was in tears by the end of the show. I started out jaded. Thinking this is some Robbie puff piece...and it is. But so much more. It's a love letter to his friends.

Robbie tells a good story, and by piecing old interviews from former band mates he supports his narrative.

Loved the old footage of the Band.

But the story in this film is not complete; what about how he sneakily got their publishing rights, and created a chasm between his "brothers"?

This is a piece of the puzzle, of the Band. But it's no way THE story. There's a lot more to their story. I'd love to know what Garth had to say about this film. Bob Dylan himself had no interest in being involved present day.

Robbie had talent. But to claim he wrote the Bands music and lyrics all by himself is bananas. Only reinforced by the fact he still claims the band ended when he left. Do your research viewer, the Band didn't die when he left. They played for years together after. Why does he ignore this? Doesn't fit his narrative...

This isn't a film about the Band as much as it is a film about Robbie and what he wants people to believe about the Band. Too bad. We needed a full doc.

"I pulled into Nazareth, I was feelin' 'bout half-past dead." The Band's The Weight featuring Levon Helm

With that song, the world of mid-century America became aware of a new sound, Americana: a country rock with soul and surpassingly genial musicians. Daniel Roher's Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band is a memorable documentary as well as a most engaging history of the colorful era of '60's and '70's rock, where loud, sensual music eclipsed any other form in previous cultural changes.

With the producing guidance of Martin Scorsese, who helmed The Last Waltz about the Band's final concert, Robbie Robertson, guitarist and songwriter, guides us through his teen years and hookup with musicians who themselves would hook up with Bob Dylan, to help him tour to the boos of audiences that just didn't get the electric guitar: Dylan exclaims, "They were gallant knights for standing behind me."

Deftly carrying us through photo album pics and original music, this remarkable doc makes it feel like we are there, reliving the charismatic troupe's glory days and eventually its struggle with drugs. As Robbie says, "It was so beautiful, it went up in flames."

However, it's a story well told, even down to the homely shots of Robbie courting Dominique and their eventually blissful marriage.

Heroin emerges (as it frequently seems to do) with devastating effect on the gifted Levon. Through it all, Robbie lets us know how much he loved this brotherhood, and we see the contribution he continues to make to the welfare of music and people.

We have been blessed in the last few years with outstanding films about music-let Once were Brothers be at the top of the list: It was "a sound you've never heard before, but like they've always been here." Bruce Springsteen