Pearl Jam Twenty (Cameron Crowe, 2011)

Pearl Jam, one of the most influential bands of the 90s, turns 20 this year. To mark this occasion director Cameron Crowe, best known for his films Say Anything (1989) and Jerry Maguire (1996), has directed a documentary showcasing the band from their small beginning to the status that they now hold.

Pearl Jam had its start in Seattle, Washington, where the grunge scene was starting to take off. Stone Gossard (guitar) and Jeff Ament (bass) played together as part of a few bands, one in particular being Mother Love Bone. After the passing of their lead vocalist, Andrew Wood, Gossard began playing with Mike McCready (lead guitar). The three joined together and began recording demos to find a vocalist and a drummer. The tape soon landed in the hands of Eddie Vedder (vocals), who recorded lyrics to the songs and sent the tape back to the band. Once Vedder joined the band they soon found their drummer and became Mookie Blaylock, but due to legal issues soon became Pearl Jam.

Pearl Jam Twenty tells this story excellently with the use of over 1,200 hours of behind the scenes footage and personal interviews with the band. The film is seamlessly presented with a mix of the interviews and the footage, giving an understanding of how the band grew over the years. Nothing is held back, the highs and the lows are all included, which makes the band more vulnerable but also, shows them as human. Crowe does this delicately and with respect. Going through the bands most difficult times when they felt like they may be over and showing their legal dispute with Ticketmaster. These instances are shown without being forceful and unnatural. Another great part of this documentary was the humor involved. There were multiple times throughout the film that stirred laughs. One scene, in particular, was showing the on stage antics of a young Vedder as he used the stage as his own personal play set. Overall the film was heartfelt and showed the band in a light that many people have not seen.

Along with the hours of footage shown, this documentary includes many of the songs that made Pearl Jam famous. At times, these songs are woven together with interviews with the band members. These moments help illustrate either what the song is about or that time in the bands life. In one instance, Vedder talks about the song Black while it is shown from the MTV Unplugged stage. He describes how the song stirs deep emotions inside of him and still does to this day. The other band members comment that these emotions are clearly present when he sings because he puts so much behind the notes.  These instances are done very carefully not getting in the way of the song but almost becoming a natural part of it. Another fascinating part of this film is its look at Pearl Jam’s influences. One case shows Pearl Jam on stage with Neil Young singing Rockin’ in the Free World. These moments are great to see such an influential band playing with other performers who are influential to them.

Pearl Jam 20 is a very well crafted documentary. From the very beginning the film draws the audience in and hold them there for the entire two hours of screen time. The footage shown is both entertaining and poignant showing the mega stardom that Pearl Jam has become but also showing them as very human. The music in the film is crisp and clear and many times mixed with interviews to help illustrate a time in the bands life. This is a truly entertaining film. Crowe’s direction makes the film extremely enjoyable to watch. He tells the story of the band clearly and concisely while paying them the respect they deserve. Whether you are or are not a fan of Pearl Jam, this documentary is not one to be put in your rearview mirror.

Pearl Jam Twenty Official Site