This documentary really surprised me. From the off I'll admit I'm not really into the Rolling Stones but like everyone else there are a bunch of their tunes I do adore (e.g. Sympathy for the Devil, Gimme Shelter etc). It's been shown again due to the sad recent passing of their drummer Charlie Watts.
What we have is a tour through their careers from year one to present, so quite a lot to condense, but the director does so. A soundtrack already given, it is the monologues from band members providing a commentary over the years, mostly concentrating upto the early 1970s, and it works!
I was surprised, this could have been a hagiography, or just some whitewash, but actually the director provides a fair warts & all overview of the band which is welcome, and you end up intrigued. There's egos but also honesty, and the moments overlooking the finals times with Brian Jones is quite poignant.
You'll be surprised, the general fans are also as great a part of this documentary as the main act, and great to see the old fashions and styles. There's dark moments too (e.g. Hell's Angels etc) but there's a lot of positive to take too.
It's a crazy, very well put together documentary that thankfully veered away from a simple paint-by-numbers outlook.
Informative and entertaining. Give it a view, at least in memory of Charlie Watts (RIP) who for me comes out of that band as the most likeable of the lot. A real treasure of the music world sadly now gone.
