Hey folks, Harry here with MiraJeff and his look at Jonathan Demme rock-concert film... NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD. And it sounds like a great time. If you've never seen a great concert film, if I may... let me suggest that you go out right now and check out Martin Scorsese's THE LAST WALTZ. Now... concert films, when put together by a master filmmaker are just pure sensory bliss. Give it a shot, you'll fall in love...
Greetings AICN, MiraJeff here with a look at Neil Young: Heart of Gold, a concert film that to be honest, I kind of expected more from. With Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme at the helm, and music from some of the greatest musicians of all time, I hoped Heart of Gold would capture something or illuminate a private side in the singer that we’d never seen before. And while it succeeds in painting a portrait of a true artist, it’s not going to change what you thought of him before or reach out and grab more fans. It’s a good-looking, great-sounding movie but it offers little insight into one of greatest Canadians of all time, the man who put the Y in CSNY, Neil Young.
Personally, I consider myself a fan of Neil Young’s music. Notice how he’s one of those guys who must always be called ‘Neil Young.’ Never ‘Neil’ or ‘Young’ but always the full name. It’s like a sign of respect. The smartest kid from my high school years, Dave Chiu, also falls under this category. Anyways, I think I’d like to live in the very, very, very fine house of “Our House.” I love “Old Man” and “Cortez the Killer,” and on occasion I ‘Keep On Rockin In The Free World,” oddly, with Pearl Jam at times. And that’s it. That’s about all the Neil Young I know, and while I’ve probably heard more of his music, I can’t really remember it so it doesn’t count. And I think that’s what most people my age (I don’t actually know these people yet because I turn 22 today) think of Neil Young, if not more. Because girls don’t know Neil Young but they do know Ryan Adams from Bryan Adams. If Neil Young tickets went on sale, I don’t think teens or twenty-somethings would be pitching tents on sidewalks to wait in line and get them. And that’s a shame, because he really is good, but not overwhelmingly good enough to sleep on a sidewalk for. I imagine it’s hard for anyone under 30 to actually identify with him. I mean, in all fairness to Neil Young, I don’t know enough Crazy Horse to pass judgment, and besides, who the hell am I except a film critic anyway, so I’ll give Neil Young and Demme this:
Neil Young fans will be pleased. I saw the film at the Paramount Screening Room and the sound was incredible. If this film sneaks into a multiplex in addition to the art-house theaters, see it at theater with better sound. The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville was the original home of the Grand Ole Opry, and the acoustics are incredible. The sound in this movie is like another Neil… a Diamond. It’s gorgeous. You can even hear maracas shaking, and honestly, who doesn’t like maracas? Granted at 103 minutes, I think the film runs a song or two too long. By the end of it, Neil Young has kind of worn out his welcome, but then again, I’d much rather pay for 10 bucks for 103 minutes of Neil Young than 50 bucks (probably) for a 75-minute Weezer concert, which trust me, is generous for them. The one big question about this film is, why do we need it? Why now? Why Prairie Wind? At a concert, you’re with your buddies, you’re under an influence or two (hopefully), and you can talk, which you can’t do at a movie. I admit to looking at my watch several times and I noticed a few other critics doing it too. As a theatrical experience, it drags a bit, especially if you don’t like one of his songs. However my roommate Anders Hester, lead singer of The Alright Ma’s, went to the screening with me and being a huge Neil Young fan and having gone to several shows, said it was the most vulnerable he’d ever seen Neil Young, who in his opinion, plays one of his best shows. Obviously, there will be differences of opinion depending on your allegiance to Neil Young.
If you’re still on the fence about seeing this movie and you’re a guy, I’ll recommend it because of one musician I haven’t mentioned yet. Emmylou Harris. This woman is stunning. Incredibly beautiful. I have no idea how old she is and out of respect, I won’t look it up on the Internet for this review. I have a newfound appreciation for this woman. I didn’t even realize she’s won 11 Grammys. A bunch of other cool guitar, harp, and broom (yes broom) players join her and Neil Young onstage. It all amounts to something special, but whether or not that magic translates to the screen well is up for debate. To each his own my mother would say, and after all, music is deeply personal. I’m not going to ruin the set list but it will please fans and semi-fans to know that he does play “Old Man,” saying that he wrote the song about a guy he bought a home from. But Heart of Gold is made up primarily of his latest album Prairie Wind (not the song, which is one of the least good in the film), the album that many consider one of the artist’s bests. To be honest the film did spike my interest and make me want to hear more, just like Walk the Line made me want to listen to Johnny Cash more. Speaking of, if someone ever has to play Neil Young in a film, I nominate Tom Wilkinson. The likeness is uncanny.
The bottom line is that to see an artist like Neil Young do what he does best, the movie is definitely worth 10 bucks. You’d pay that to hear a shitty cover band at a frat party. So ultimately, this film is critic proof, because who hates Neil Young? Who is going to pan a 2-night performance when Neil Young was scheduled to have brain surgery less than a week later? Think he had a lot on his mind? Music is the man’s sweet release, so show him a little respect and see Neil Young: Heart of Gold if you get a chance. After all, it’s February!
That’ll do it for me folks. Fox Searchlight is finally releasing Night Watch on the 17th, so if that kick-ass trailer whet your appetite, search the AICN archives for my review from last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. ‘Til next time boys and girls, this is MiraJeff, signing off.
