Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream

My wife and I didn't blink, except at the end when we were in tears. Honestly people, WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY!!! I have seen them all, from The Tommy Dorsey Story to this, with Spinal Tap and The Ruttles in between. THIS IS THE BEST MUSIC DOCUMENTARY I HAVE EVER SEEN - BY A LONG WAYS. It is like one of those great songs that literally writes itself.

Peter Bogdanovich deserves an Academy Award. The pacing, the entry and exit from each scene or topic, the feel that is captured, the very subtle nuances, well....they're perfect. Thank you for not detouring away from the core band and their music! Bogdanovich makes the four hours seem like minutes. We didn't want it to stop.

It also helps to have great subject matter, and I now realize why Bogdanovich took on this project - Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers are the Real Deal. What they have given us is overwhelming. And what they went through and put up with in order to do it only adds to their reputation, and to the story itself.

My wife and I keep going back to the DVR and rewinding to scenes or moments that are totally captivating. And, it's true, we were both in tears at the end. It really is that good.

Thank you to Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers for letting us into your intensely fascinating world, to Peter Bogdanovich for capturing it so perfectly, to Tom Petty for staying true to his spirit, to Mike Campbell for showing us that a brilliant lead guitarist can also be reverent and humble and to everyone else - your synergy is an inspiration. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Runnin' Down a Dream is a great rock and roll documentary for anyone who likes rock and roll. If you like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, even better. As you watch it, you can see it was done with that purpose, and by people who share the love for great songs, electric guitars, kick ass solos, stunning drums: What rock and roll is all about.Even being big as it is (almost 4 hours long), the story isn't dragged around and when you realize it will be already over and you'll be wanting to see even more of the incredible story of this great band and especially Tom Petty, a singular creature in a world full of schmucks. You can see the great mojo that was cooked between the band along the years, the good and bad things that happened on the way to success, but you will mostly hear about the music, which is what many of documentaries of bands seem to put in the background. The director let Mike Campbell's guitar solos play until the end, unlike other documentaries that the solo is faded out. The worst thing in the world is to start hearing a great solo and have it cut in the best part. Anyway, it's a wonderful film, really impressed me. Go watch it!

I would like to thank Peter Bogdanovich for putting together a wonderful movie that really showcases the song writing talent of Tom Petty and the synergy of the Heartbreakers. I was riveted the entire 4 hours and wanted more so I anxiously perused the bonus material.

The contributions of close friends such as Jeff Lynn and Rick Rubin helped to illustrate the talents of Petty. The interviews with Tom himself show that he a modest man but you see the impact of his music when you realize all the huge hits he had over the decades.

The movie did not go into his personal like much, but it was interesting to learn that Tom was married to his first wife for over 20 years. It was sad to learn about the death of their bass player due to substance abuse.

The best rock documentary ever! The archival footage of concerts and especially recording sessions is precious! Dylan, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, Roger McGuinn a pantheon of icons all interconnected to the story of TP! Peter Boganovich, did justice to the music and story by not editing this down to a theater friendly 90 minutes. The stories behind the songs were fascinating and I never realized or appreciated Tom's battles with the "industry". Like one of the interviewees commented, I too can remember where I was, what was going on in my life when a certain Tom Petty & Heartbreakers song was astaple of FM rock. 30 years; at the end I felt oh so old, wondering where did the time go?

I've always loved Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but like many casual fans, I had a tendency to underrate them. This 3 1/2 hr documentary should go a long way to putting them up there where they belong in the rock pantheon. Bogdanovich gives a warm-hearted and thorough review of the band's thirty-year history. The personal parts of the story are neither glossed over nor sugar-coated, but mercifully they are not allowed to hijack the main theme: Petty's brilliant song-writing and the band's masterful musicianship. I am not, as a rule, a big fan of rockumentaries, but this one is a real gem. Put it on your holiday wish-list!