Hit So Hard

I was expecting something pretty bad considering the bad reviews on it but I always like to make up my own mind. Good thing too because it's quite good. I heard about it listening to Patty's appearance on the I'd Hit That podcast (check it out) and she's quite interesting. I found her brother and mother to be touching, sad and honest too. Watch it.

A star-f**king movie about Courtney and Kurt disguised as a movie about Hole's lesbian drummer. I don't think the people who made this movie are actually very interested in Patty. I suspect they were very interested in Patty's old video. There's a good movie about Patty's life and a good movie about women drummers out there but this isn't it.

Second hope--that it would have lots of good music. I love Hole, but there are only snippets of Hole songs where the lyrics can belabor whatever point the movie's making.

If you're interested in video of Courtney and Kurt, go for it. Otherwise, it's icky watching a messed-up drummer with an interesting past get used.

Ebersole and Hughes manage to avoid all the pitfalls of your average Fall and Rise story. It's incredibly touching without ever being sappy or self-indulgent. What comes across is the story of a really clever, talented, brave woman who you end up rooting for regardless of whether you were a fan or not. You see people rather than icons which is so rare and refreshing. There's also a real story here with some great twists which I won't give away.

If you are a fan (I am) there's just a ton of fascinating footage that really takes you back to that time. The interviews are candid, relaxed and very real which is a testament to the film-makers. Ebersole shows respect for his subjects and it shows. I saw it with a group of friends and we were still talking about it the next day.

A film that focuses on Courtney Love's band Hole where Ms. Love is not the out-of-control one may seem like an unlikely premise. But the story of Hole drummer Patty Schemel's rise and fall (OUT of Hole) is beautifully done.

Growing up in a small town outside Seattle, it wasn't long before Schemel and her musician brother Larry became regular fixtures in the Seattle music scene. As the city was becoming the focal point for the new "alternative" movement, Patty and her friend Kurt Cobain were indulging in activities a bit more risky than music. Through home footage and interviews with all three band-mates and a who's who of influential female drummers, Hit So Hard tackles sexism in the music industry, the long and painful process of kicking drugs and the loneliness of being a young lesbian in a conservative town. But by looking at her life from so many facets, the film is ultimately uplifting, moving and powerful. Props to everyone involved. Best SXSW documentary this year.

"Hit So Hard", directed by the gifted and multi-faceted filmmaker, P. David Ebersole, chronicles the life of one of rock's most talented drummers, Patty Schemel, of the band "Hole". Great archival footage with thoughtful structure pulls in all the elements that make this film an amazing rock doc.

The interviews are solid, funny, and touching with voices that are rarely seen on camera - such as a comprehensive section on female drummers. There is, of course, just a touch of super rare footage of Kurt and Courtney's but just as it relates to Patty. The film does a wonderful job of keeping the focus on Patty without venturing into the usual suspects. We gain insight on what it was like to come out as a gay teen and later as a gay musician in the limelight. Patty's mother and brother add sentimental stories that connect you to Patty's complexity.

So personal and layered, it will leave you feeling so satisfied. Highly recommend!