Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Replacements - Color Me Obsessed: A Film About The Replacements



Great film about my favorite band but I only have one problem.
I will tell you the one problem I had with the film at the end of this review. I will start by saying that this has become my favorite documentary ever!! Now, unlike everyone who appeared in this film and unlike most viewers or fans, I wasn't alive when The Replacements were in their prime. I'm only in my early 20s and I discovered the band back in 2008 from a friend of mine. They have become my favorite band, to the point of obsession.

I won't go on about how there is no music or interviews from the band in the film. I will just say that this was the best way to tell the band's story. The Replacements were sort of that band that you herd about, you knew the name but you didn't know who they were completely. They seemed to be this legend that people had told. It was something that a lot of people had talked about but somewhere in the place of rock history, they were left out when The Beatles, The Velvet Underground or R.E.M. are mentioned. You just knew from what you had...

Not your typical music documentary
I've seen this film several times now and it is extremely well done. It's not your typical documentary in that it doesn't feature the band or the band's music. Rather, it is a funny, candid, and sometimes poignant recounting of stories about the band by fans and friends.

This really is a must-see for Replacements fans.

A lot to like, but not what I'd hoped it would be.
I suppose that it is what it is, and if I went in expecting it to be something else, then the problem is mine. But I'd thought there would be at least some footage of the Mats, maybe a bit of their music, even if both were de-emphasized. I should have done some research outside of watching the trailers, though I guess it should have occurred to me then that neither would be present in this film.

Watching this film is a lot like sitting at a bar while someone who knew a famous guy tells you all about him. Technically it's great, it's assembled with care and well-edited. Grant Hart's interviews in particular are a real treat.

But an hour and a half of that? I don't care who the chatty guy at the bar was, I'd have told him to shut up or just walked away mid-wistful recollection long before that.

I can't think of a situation where I'd watch it again, and I wish I'd have rented it instead of buying it.

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