Entertaining and touching doc, even for those of us who aren't fans
I walked into "An Affair of the Heart" at the 2012 Boston Film Festival without expectations, as I didn't know or recall much of Rick Springfield's music, didn't know he still performs, and knew nothing about the Grateful Dead-esque phenomenon of his still dedicated fan base.
What I discovered was an entertaining, well shot and briskly paced story that was often hilarious, often deeply emotional, and always interesting. Mostly I admired the film's raw honesty in exploring people's personal stories, dreams and difficulties in life, and why they're drawn together to follow an artist who seems most unlikely at first, but proves to make sense in the final analysis.
The periodic concert footage of this charismatic performer is exciting and fun, making you feel as if you're right there in the front row. But it's never mere concert footage, there's always an emotional story pushing it forward. The music is solid, and broad in range. My favorite was a gorgeous acoustic rendition of a poignant song I'd never heard (like most) called "My Father's Chair," a poetic piece about the loss of his father with a final line that it's hard not to tear up at.
Fans of the artist will love the film because they'll see him and themselves honestly portrayed on the big screen. For the rest of us, it's a fine exploration of universal human emotions, from the triumphant to the uncomfortable.
What I discovered was an entertaining, well shot and briskly paced story that was often hilarious, often deeply emotional, and always interesting. Mostly I admired the film's raw honesty in exploring people's personal stories, dreams and difficulties in life, and why they're drawn together to follow an artist who seems most unlikely at first, but proves to make sense in the final analysis.
The periodic concert footage of this charismatic performer is exciting and fun, making you feel as if you're right there in the front row. But it's never mere concert footage, there's always an emotional story pushing it forward. The music is solid, and broad in range. My favorite was a gorgeous acoustic rendition of a poignant song I'd never heard (like most) called "My Father's Chair," a poetic piece about the loss of his father with a final line that it's hard not to tear up at.
Fans of the artist will love the film because they'll see him and themselves honestly portrayed on the big screen. For the rest of us, it's a fine exploration of universal human emotions, from the triumphant to the uncomfortable.
- glenno-4
- 14 oct 2012