Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm

A slightly disappointing documentary about...well, what? It's not really the LIFE of Levon, it just follows him around for a few days and allows him to hold forth about the music business and certain former associates. I know he was a cantankerous cuss, that's fine - I don't want saints, I want geniuses whose music can move me, and that's what Lee's always did, along with his Band-mates, including He Who Shall Not be Named. There's some painful (in every sense), poignant footage of Lee having a camera put up his nose (and down his throat) which obviously causes him a lot of pain, but he bravely allows the footage to be shown. We also see him smoking a cigar, and laughingly bragging about his weed use - this from a man whose wonderful vocal chords were ravaged by cancer, and who was to lose his life to the disease. Everyone around him laughs at his every wisecrack, and his wife REALLY wants to go to the Grammys (Lee obstinately and foul-mouthedly refuses), but there are some fabulous moments too. All too brief clips of the Band playing, of Lee and his latter day band playing (full performances in the DVD extras would have been nice), the aforementioned medical procedures which show us Lee as a vulnerable, frightened old man - still with the time to sign an autograph (and write a message) for the son of a staff member at the medical centre, himself a drummer and fan of Lee's. There are some nice shots (perhaps a little contrived) of Lee working the land, sharing out the turkey and ham sandwiches. I'd love to see a substantial, warts and all biopic of Levon Helm, but this isn't it. A good, well-intentioned attempt though.

Ain't in It for My Health: A Film About Levon Helm (2010)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Very good documentary taking a brief look at the life and career of Levon Helm, the man best remembered for his days with The Band. The documentary starts off in 2008 just as Helm learns that The Band is getting a lifetime achievement award and we see and hear from the music legend about his days in the group as well as a variety of other subjects. AIN'T IN IT FOR MY HEALTH is without question a highly entertaining film but if you're coming to it expecting some trash slinging then you're going to be disappointed. With the break-up of The Band is discussed briefly, those expecting to hear Helm slam Robbie Robertson are going to be disappointed. Actually I'm somewhat glad that the film didn't turn into a mud slinging contest because as it is the thing is pretty darn special. I obviously can't speak for the director but the point of the film just seemed to be that Helm, a legend, was pretty much your average Joe as he likes to watch Westerns, tell funny stories, smoke, drink and then there's the playing music. I really loved the Southern feel to the entire film because it really does seem as if you're getting a true and honest look at Helm who seems to be enjoying life even through some of the darker moments in the film. Some of these moments include him losing his voice at the start of a concert as well as discussion about his throat cancer. I think fans of The Band or Helm are really going to enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at his, which includes plenty of concert footage, Helm just kicking around at his house and also some sessions of Larry Campbell as they work on a song for a Hank Williams tribute.

Huge fan of the music of the Band and Levon Helm in particular. Also very much enjoy documentaries of musicians as they lay out their influences, innovations, interactions, etc.

You'll get none of that here. Here you will get the presentation of an apparent drug addled simpleton. The contemporaries presented are also one dimensional vapids. I understand the man was going through medical problems but this was indulgent in the extreme.

Levon Helm had produced Electric Dirt and Dirt Farmer in close proximity to this film and great musical accomplishments prior as a solo artist and Band leader. There has to be more to that person than depicted here.

This film is all the more poignant since Levon has recently passed, but the film itself is also about resolve, dreams and looking forward. Levon developed throat cancer, and the treatments caused him to lose his voice. The film is about the struggle and wish to regain his voice and make a comeback, which he did, releasing two great studio albums (Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt) and a live recording, Live At The Ryman. The film visits the past of course, and it touches on his feud with former Band guitarist Robbie Robertson over song credits, but it is more about the then present. Deceased Band members Rick Danko and Richard Manuel are touched on, and it is obvious Levon misses them (we all do). The post-cancer career Levon had was a gift to his fans, and he will never be forgotten. Somewhere, he, Rick and Richard are harmonizing together. For now, any fan of Levon and The Band should watch this, along with The Last Waltz, the extraordinary final show of The Band. Levon is greatly missed by so many, but this film makes us love him just as much as we always did and in that way, it triumphs.