27: Gone Too Soon

5/23/18. What a disappointing rockumentary. This could have been a lot more interesting since all the people they talked about were music icons of their time. More archival footage would have helped a lot and maybe some concert footage?

27: Gone Too Soon (2018)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

I watch a lot of documentaries and and sometimes I run across a few where I really wonder if the filmmakers knew anything about the subject they are covering. This documentary takes a look at the "27 Club" of musicians who died at the young age of 27.

You know, you really have to question any documentary that covers this topic and not once mentions Robert Johnson and the notorious "Crossroads" where a lot of this legend began. What we get here are brief bios on Brian JOnes, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse.

Even if you just look at 27: GONE TOO SOON as a documentary on those people it's still quite awful because everyone interviewed are rather annoying and their thoughts on the subject seem a bit... I guess stupid the word. I say that because it seems they want to narrow everyone down to some sort of stereotype and you've even got one guy questioning Cobain being included as a great musician.

The bio's of these people are quite poor and more times than not it seems those being interviewed are just guessing at things. These people have much better stories about them out there so there's no point in watching this documentary for that. The documentary also doesn't take a look at the myths or legends around the 27 Club and all in all this here is just rather poorly made and laughable.

Several famous musicians have died aged just 27. Fame doesn't neccessarily solve all your existing problems; rather, it creates a bunch of new ones and gives you access to near-unlimited quantities of drugs that are only going to make things worse. A well-rounded person might happily enjoy the money; someone with prior problems is more likely to exascerbate them. Individually, many of the stories covered in this documentary are moving and tragic; but collectively, what they have in common is actually so simple there's very little to be said. This particular program is made worse by the fact that its commentary is provided by a collection of talking heads who offer only the idlest of commentary, hackneyed and devoid of personal insight. The result feels ghoulish, dancing on the graves of the dead but telling us nothing we might learn.

Random people repeating stuff that we have already heard much more comprehensive and interesting in nice films such as 'Amy', 'Cobain: Montage of heck', 'Crossfire Hurricane', etc. Its all pretty superficial and unfocused and nothing new comes to the table.

It could have still be sort of entertaining if the artists would have played a role in the film, but there is almost no music from them, just a lot of cheap-sounding background music. Also almost no visual material, but lots of random close ups of tape machines, record players, random 60's shots and a lot of talking heads in a dull studio setting.

So not really worth your time if you ask me. Watch one of the films mentioned above instead, or read a good biography of these people.

Interesting, but nothing I haven't heard before. Enjoy watching any kind of rock and roll documentary. However, the annoying and cheesy background music made me want to turn it off. Geez, never been so annoyed with something that was NOT necessary. Give us some background music from time to time that is relevant. Really cheapens the whole documentary.