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This documentary really grows on you. As the story and the search begins, you slowly but surely get caught up in the narrative. For me the amazing part of this journey is the composure and serenity of Rodriguez himself. Despite the lack of recognition in his own country, he continued to lead a rich life filled with hope and creativity. Just looking at his 3 beautiful daughters is testament to this. The sound tracks are really wonderful and take you back to the 60s and 70s. Another interesting facet of this movie is the exploration of the overthrow of Apartheid. Many who embraced the music of Rodriquez were Africaaners who were looking for change and a better life for everyone in their country. You come out of this movie believing in a better world.

I caught this movie at an advanced screening at the UN during Mandela week and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the movie and even more enthralled to discover this long, lost gem of music. The movie revolves around an up-and-coming Rock'n'roller from the 70s who recorded two albums and then disappeared into obscurity. His music was lost in the US but by a strange coincidence becomes a cult hit in South Africa and becomes a symbol of rebellion for the underground white, anti-apartheid sub-culture. The documentary is a lovely journey of discovery of the south africans who try to find the roots of this enigma and re-discover his music. I won't spoil too much but for fans of Dylan like music, this might be a long, lost gem and music that perhaps, at least now, deserves more recognition and appreciation.

The Landmark Theatre in West LA is a tough crowd but they were laughing and crying and when it was over they were applauding. This is what movie magic is all about. I wandered in and was blown away. Where can I get the soundtrack?? Holy! Crap!!

Sixto is what Dylan could have been. That's right he's better than Bob. Better writer, better vocalist by tenfold. Unlike The Jester this guy never sold out and walked the talk until the bitter end.

I've always believed the world's best talent goes unrecognized most of the time but the story of Sixto Rodriguez puts that theory into the "true" category once and for all and I will never doubt it again. Please recognize this man's work! Hopefully his daughters will continue to work toward that end both in the USA and South Africa.

This film was by far our favorite at the True/False Film Festival in Columbia Missouri this past spring.

The delights of "Searching for Sugar Man" are revealed along the way, as the story unspools over decades and continents. I BEG YOU to cover your eyes and ears if you happen to see a trailer at your local indie theater - the art of the trailer is apparently a lost one, and most of the surprises are spoiled in the promotion prepared for this film.

The director received a well-earned standing ovation at True/False, and wept - he and other directors said that T/F was the first audience of "real people" to see their respective films, apparently Sundance is peopled with "not real people"?

And be prepared to have the music playing in your head for some time to come.

Rodriguez (Sugarman), is one of the greatest men I have ever known.

This isn't a review, at least I don't consider it one; I don't review on IMDb, and there's a good chance I never will; but I feel compelled to leave my experience and thoughts, though briefly, here.

I saw this movie today knowing nothing about the subject material or the man himself; after leaving the theatre into a dimming sunset I texted my friend "I have a new hero."

That is probably the greatest praise I have ever gave a film.

Soulful, touching, heartrending and uplifting, this film------ you cannot write this, you cannot make this up, it is a story of true brilliance and daunting inspiration. There is so much to commend, praise, remark about this movie... but honestly I don't want to cite any one thing because it would spoil the experience of watching the story unfold and the mystery of Sugarman being shaped weakened. The bottom line is: It is a story that is too real, poignant, and far-fetched to exist anywhere on a writer's board or in a screenplay; this is why documentaries will never die, and they will always have a reserved place in the realm of cinema, films of fiction and artistry just cannot pierce the depth that this one finds. It is one of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen, possibly the greatest.

I cried throughout the picture. A must-see.

I write this review with the intention that I hope to encourage others to go see this movie: If you do you won't regret it and if you see it years later on television, you'll regret you didn't take the chance when you had it.

Who would know that an unknown album from an unknown artist in 1970 (Rodriguez) would become a huge phenomenon in South Africa? As big as say, Paul McCartney. Rodriguez himself was never aware of his huge success, as well as most other Americans. This film traces two hardcore fans as they trace clues around the globe trying to find out what happened to this man. Did he commit a gruesome suicide as rumors say? If so, when and where? Almost nothing was known of this mystery man. The film unfolds a story that cannot be believed by any party. Not the South Africans, nor the filmmakers, or any member of the Rodriquez family. A story that you would swear would not be possible in this day and age of digital communications.

I'm going to add my voice such as it is to the chorus of accolades for "Searching For Sugar Man". I loved it. It is indeed an incredible true story about a folk singer named Rodriquez who became a sensation in South Africa while remaining in obscurity in his native US. He's not the first person to be given the boot in his hometown (the Bible has something to say on this subject) but upon listening to the wonderful soundtrack of this film it is a sad commentary. There's plenty of humor here as well in this tale of parallel universes: one in which Rodriquez is Elvis and another where he's scarcely a blip on the radar. The film begins as an investigation by curious fans seeking to learn about the whereabouts of Rodriquez and what may have happened to him. The stories circulating about him are not promising but they are undaunted and continue to search for answers. I think everyone who sees "Searching For Sugar Man" will be thankful that they did.

This movie is a MUST SEE. If you are a musician or songwriter and you have ever questioned the importance of what it is that you do, you need to see this film. This was the most inspiring thing I have ever seen. Aside from the unbelievable story, the cinematography had some very great moments and not to mention a stellar sound track. I am recommending this film to everyone I know. The only drawback is that because it is an indie film, it is very hard to find. It is only playing in one theater in my area (DC), and that's West End. I really hope this films picks up and begins showing in more theaters. Until then, I will continue to promote this film via word of mouth because I believe in it so much. ...Amazing things happen.

Talented Detroit troubadour could have been a star, but his 1970s albums fail to sell and he is consigned to a life of obscurity and hard labor, until rediscovered by millions of adoring fans he never knew he had. This is inspiring stuff, a moving feel-good movie with a detective plot, as a record store owner and a journalist hunt down the enigmatic Rodriguez, whose album Cold Fact made him an anonymous superstar in South Africa.

This is a great piece of manipulative filmmaking, but as a documentary it asks more questions than it answers, and never lets the facts stand in the way of a good story. First up we are told Rodriguez was more famous than the Rolling Stones in South Africa, artistically his only peer was Bob Dylan, and he was a leading inspiration in the struggle against apartheid. Come on. Really? Then, based on unsubstantiated guesstimates from "half a million" to "millions" of album sales, the film asks where the royalties went, but doesn't follow through. They interview Rodriguez, who surely could have answered this question, along with many others, but we see little of the man himself, except for wistful shots of him looking out a window, while his daughters and the South Africans do most of the talking.

I wanted to see Rodriguez, but this becomes more a story of the South Africans and their feeble attempts to track him down. These included putting his picture on milk cartons and spreading rumors of his self-immolation on stage, which sounded more like attempts to promote the myth ahead of his tours of South Africa. Also, the movie implies Rodriguez was unheard of outside South Africa, but Cold Fact was also popular in Australia, where Rodriguez toured in the late 70s and then with Midnight Oil. I know, I was a fan and had a copy of the album, as did most of my friends. We are also told he survived his life after music by working as a demolition man. Nice hard luck story, but an internet search reveals he was also a teacher and social worker, and the movie quickly passes over his graduation from university.

Rodriguez was a unique talent, I loved his music, and this film does a great job of giving this humble man the recognition he deserves. It is a moving cinema experience and well worth seeing, but this is faction as much as fact, which is carefully excised to fit the myth.

While "Searching for Sugar Man" is, more than anything else, unquestionably a testament to Rodriguez's craft and humility, it is frankly manipulative to suggest that he had no popularity anywhere but South Africa. I have personal memories of "Cold Fact" being an integral part of the musical soundscape in Australia during the early to mid 70's, particularly in the surfing community, and he was popular there before he caught on in South Africa. He actually toured Australia in 1979, and in 1981 he opened for Midnight Oil on their Australian tour. The message of Rodriguez's musical journey is undeniable but the filmmakers' omission of facts to make a sensational story even more sensational, is crass.

OK. I was not familiar with Rodriguez before this doc. He has some interesting tunes, some with very poetic lyrics and an interesting voice -no doubt he was talented. To place him in any league with Bob Dylan is a major stretch. There's a lot of gaps in the man's history that, for some reason, the writers didn't want to cover: how he got to the States, his wives, did he have a drug problem, why did he quit performing...? Why weren't any of the S. African distributors asked if they had their canceled checks or receipts from Sussex Records? Why was the live concert footage absolutely horrific when Rodriguez performed many times after being "found"? There's also no mention of any attempt of Rodriguez to follow up the original early '70s album releases with any performances. Why not keep going? Many artists fail for many years, but they keep at it. Something happened that is not talked about. It's an interesting story, but there are too many gaps and non-disclosures for me personally.

This is one of the best music docs ever made! The story about Sixto Rodriguez misfortunes and fortunes is almost to good to be true. It's like a fairy tale, only that this is real life. Swedish film maker Malik Bendjelloul treats the story with great respect and construct the film in a way almost like a thriller without a dead second and the end will not leave a single eye dry. Cinematographer Camilla Skagerstrom made an excellent job in creating a beautiful movie and the music (all by Rodriguez)makes a great soundtrack and it is hard to believe that this musical treasure was forgotten for so many years. Not only is this a strong personal portrait of a grate musician but it also makes you wonder about the mechanics of fame, success and the music industry.

Greetings again from the darkness. I make no apologies for my tendency to have higher expectations and be more demanding of documentaries than other films. When dealing with a real subject, event or person, there is no place for fabrication or embellishment. The truth must stand (and entertain) on its own. Filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul has no such issue given his fascinating, almost jaw-dropping story of musician Sixto Rodriguez.

Described as Dylan-esque, Rodriguez was a folk singer and songwriter who put out two albums: Cold Fact (1970) and Comng from Reality (1971). Despite critical raves, the album sales were minimal and Sussex/A&R dropped him. After that, the story got a bit hazy. Urban Legend had Rodriguez dousing himself with gasoline while onstage, and committing suicide by lighting himself up. Mostly he just seemed to disappear, not simply fade away.

Nearly incomprehensible in today's age of internet communication, the Rodriguez songs became anthems for the anti-apartheid whites in South Africa. The music reached the country through bootleg copies and the popularity grew. We meet a Cape Town record store owner and indie music supporter names Stephen Segerman who describes Rodriguez as "bigger than Elvis" in South Africa. In the late 1990's a world wide web manhunt began.

What happens after that ... I will leave it to the film. Just know that this documentary is a blend of Mystery, Intrigue, Urban Legend, Who-done-it, and Where are they now? There is a brief interview with Clarence Avant, the owner of now-defunct Sussex Records, during which he provides the only real insight into the music industry underbelly. Additionally, so much of the story goes unexplained. So many questions unanswered ... even unasked! However, the story itself, and Rodriguez the man, are so amazing, that the entertainment and intellectual value of the film remains intact.

Since the vast majority (99% plus) of us have never previously heard of Rodriguez, the film does a nice job of integrating his songs in a manner that allows us to get a real understanding for the musical genius and why the critics (and South Africa) fell hard for it. This is a fascinating story and captivating film, despite lacking in "the rest of the story" department.

This is my very first review, about an amazing, amazing story, worth writing a first review, It's about the search of a guitar player known as Rodriguez, who in the 70's with only two albums, apparently He doesn't have any success in the U.S. but unknowingly he is huge in South Africa, it is a story full of hope, almost like a fairy tale, but still a documentary, so it makes it even more unbelievable, the storyline is well done, the editing places the pieces correctly, building expectation, making the viewer a part of it, interviewing the right people, unveiling the nature of the humankind, the photography is beautiful and the use some amateur footage, combines to ensure the historical value, delivering a well crafted movie, that you won't forget. highly recommended.

A KVIFF viewing of this demystifying documentary of a miracle would never find a copycat in the digital-era, Rodriguez "The Sugar Man", an American minstrel in the 1970s who has sold a sensational figure of records in South Africa while being exclusively oblivious in USA, and when rumor says he died in a suicide attempt while performing it on stage, the story seems to reach its cul-de-sac. But two South Africans, take the onerous task to dig out the mystery behind (including the director himself), and eventually the truth has been disclosed in a quite satisfying way both on screen and off screen.

First of all, Rodriguez's songs (from his albums COLD FACT 1970, COMING FROM REALITY 1971, and a piece from his never-released third album) have prevailed in the entire film's narrative, which after a first-time listening, feels more affinity with Bob Dylan's Folk Rock tunes, most of which pertain to lower-class or working-class self-inspection, definitely have their own mark of time.

The poignancy has been simmered halfway through when the story has a dramatic twist and leads to the second half of the film into a different angle of revelation, an enigmatic fetish figure's condescendence into the real world. And a poetic license has to be introduced to his personal life as de-iconization is always a tough call to make.

Then, about what prompted Rodriguez's case so unique? The film seems to be a bit withdrawn in unraveling the real reason behind it (a deliberate conspiracy theory is never in the picture), indeed, even there were merely 40 years before, we already have forgotten how things stand at then, and this could be a scarier discovery.

By the way, the film has a very audience-friendly approach, and if you are a music enthusiast, this film will be a delectable choice to be enchanted by the pure magic of music.

I found this film to be jaw-dropping engrossing. There are hardly words to express how much I love this movie. The strange story of Rodriguez, a guitar-playing writer and singer of heart-felt songs, the disappointment, the surprises, is nothing short of captivating. This picture of a brilliant musician who was thought to be dead, but in actuality is still alive and living in Detroit, Michigan is breath-taking. What this man and his music unknowingly did for Apartheid in South Africa, the hope, the strength to fight against an unjust authority that it brought to millions alone is mind-blowing. To discover that he was a super hero, bigger than Elvis, larger that the Rolling Stones, more important than any music star at the time in other parts of the world and yet completely unknown here in America is more than incredible, it's astonishing. I'll tell you, I've never wanted to have been at a concert as much as I do the Rodriguez Concert of March 6, 1998 in South Africa. Not ever! The scenes from that event truly brought tears to my eyes. If you have any interest in music, in the magic what can happen if it's seriously sought, do not miss this picture. For the amazing music alone, this is a treasure not to be missed! If ever I was happy I bought a DVD, it's right now. And it's this movie!

Honestly i felt a little abused by this Documentary. I think the story is great, it is a very nice subject with a very large panel of possible angles, directions. And what we have here is a succession of clichés, fanatics that keeps telling that everything was "the best thing of their life", that Rodriguez arrived on earth to play the best music of humanity, to save a country... Catchy screen effects, unnecessary romantic descriptions, dramatic silences in the middle of testimonials...

I think it is sad, because once again i think this is a very interesting and colorful story, but completely ruined by the choice of making a superhero movie out of it. I don't think it needed that.