Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson & The Band

Robbie tells a good story, and by piecing old interviews from former band mates he supports his narrative.

Loved the old footage of the Band.

But the story in this film is not complete; what about how he sneakily got their publishing rights, and created a chasm between his "brothers"?

This is a piece of the puzzle, of the Band. But it's no way THE story. There's a lot more to their story. I'd love to know what Garth had to say about this film. Bob Dylan himself had no interest in being involved present day.

Robbie had talent. But to claim he wrote the Bands music and lyrics all by himself is bananas. Only reinforced by the fact he still claims the band ended when he left. Do your research viewer, the Band didn't die when he left. They played for years together after. Why does he ignore this? Doesn't fit his narrative...

This isn't a film about the Band as much as it is a film about Robbie and what he wants people to believe about the Band. Too bad. We needed a full doc.

This writer grew up with this music, so I must be biased. When I was living a few miles from the Big Pink house, neither I or any of my friends had any idea who they were and what was going on. That is the reason that this film seems like such a revelation. It opens the door to the real feel of where the magical music came from, and why it seems so strong today. This is film is a joy from first to last frame, and has a simply amazing rhythm and poetry. It is a story of love, destruction, creation and the ecstasy around one of the truly great pop bands. It is true that the POV is from Robbie, but since he is one of only two survivors, that issue is irrelevant. What we see is what they saw. And the feeling runs through us with the same joy and excitement they felt playing right to the last notes of the last show. What a beautiful trip it was.

Before even commenting on the film, which I had the pleasure to see during the TIFF opening night showing, one needs to address the controversy that precludes it. The feud between Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson, and the sides many fans fall into, paints the film into a corner. It constantly dances around the bitter aspects of their relationship, portraying Robbie as saddened by the visceral animosity directed at him. Yes, the movie is based on Robbie's book, and Levon can no longer refute the claims made, but perhaps it is time to give Robbie a chance to explain his perspective. There was no way an autobiographical film would display the conflict in an unbiased and fair manner, since that is not what the film is about. It is about Robbie and his journey with The Band, their rise and dissolution as seen through his eyes, and his final reminiscence on a time when he truly was part of a brotherhood that he lost. Robbie is never critical of Levon, perhaps even sympathetic, but his pain does feel real. The story is emotional and endearing, supported by the multitude of supporting voices including Ronnie Hawkins (who steals the show!), Bruce Springsteen, Martin Scorcese, and managers, friends, and family who knew The Band the best.

Beyond the story as told by the many participants lending their reflections to this doc, I must say that the filmmaking is quite well done. Daniel Roher weaves a film with archival footage, testimonials, and the legendary music into something that is exciting to watch for any fan of The Band. It is emotionally touching, funny, insightful, and ultimately a great tribute. Yes it is Robbie's portrait of The Band, but it nevertheless faithfully chronicles a musical force that would influence generations to come.

"Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band" (2019 release from Canada; 100 min.) is a documentary about the Band. As the movie opens, today's Robbie Robertson addresses the camera and talks about his music-writing process. We then go back in time to the origins of the Band, as talking heads like Bruce Springsteen and Eric Clapton comment on how tight these 5 guys were, "like a brotherhood". We then go back even further in time, to Robbie Robertson's upbringing in Canada and how he was exposed to music at an early age. At this point we are 10 min. into the movie.

Couple of comments: this movie is directed by documentarian Daniel Roher, but more importantly executive-produced by Martin Scorsese (who of course directed "The Last Waltz") and Ron Howard. In the end credits, we learn that the documentary is "inspired by" Robbie Robertson's 2017 memoir "Testimony", and indeed this is very much Robertson's perspective on how things unfolded. The documentary is absolutely tops in its first half, where we revisit how Robertson, at age 15, wrote a couple of songs for Ronny Hawkins & the Hawks (where the drummer was a certain Levon Helms), and a year later he was invited to join the Hawks. Plenty of archive footage along the way livens up the big screen, and it's like sitting at the feet of a music history teacher. Indeed, Robertson proves to be quite the master story teller ("joining Bob Dylan was a detour but we decided it was a worthwhile detour"). The movie's second half is not quite as formidable, as we follow the Band's demise (leading to the brilliant 1976 farewell concert "The Last Waltz"), and the subsequent bitter falling-out between Helms and Robertson. But in the end, the proof is in the pudding: I couldn't believe how quickly the theater's house lights came back on, as the movie had simply flown by in no time. When in the last scene of the movie we watch them play "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" in "The Last Waltz" and we are reminded that it was the very last time these 5 guys ever played on stage together, I readily admit that I choked up. What a loss for rock music that was!

"Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band" premiered last Fall at the Toronto International Film Festival to great acclaim. It opened last weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati and I finally got a chance to see it this weekend. The Friday early evening screening where I saw this at was not attended well (3 people, to be exact), and I can't see this playing much longer in theaters. But it you are a fan of rock music history or simply a fan of the Band, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be in the theater (if you still can), on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

I love the history and the old footage of one of my favorite groups, both the concert films and the personal shots, but this documentary is horribly biased toward Robbie Robertson, while three people who might tell a different tale are dead. In particular, Robbie says that after The Last Waltz, "everybody just forgot to come back." This ignores the fact that he declared the group done, without asking the other four members, and ignores the fact that they went on to record multiple albums without him. Again, I'm glad this film exists, but I worry that anyone would consider it to be the complete story.