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What I was expecting
Filmmaker Brett Morgen uses material from the Cobains' personal archives in an in-depth examination of the Nirvana frontman's childhood, music career and untimely death.
After seeing "Last Days", another bio movie based on Kurt Cobain, I didn't really think that there could be more to tell. I thought that I knew what there was to know.
I had my preconceived perceptions regarding Kurt, I knew he was a shy introvert and I knew he had social issues. I knew he killed himself. And of course I knew he made some AMAZING music.
What I got
From start to finish, this movie captivated me. I saw Kurt Cobain in a completely new light. You get such a personal glimpse into his personal life that by the end of the movie you feel like you actually knew him. I almost felt a bit guilty watching some of their intimate personal moments.
There was SO much that I learnt about him, and about Courtney Love that I never expected. You see home videos, you read personal diary entries and authenticated letters. You see his graphic and very interpretative drawings and artwork, which speaks a lot more than the words do.
For the first time ever, his dad, Donald Cobain, speaks out and you can see how hard it is for him - he is portrayed as somewhat of a villain in the movie. Kurt's mom, Wendy Cobain, also talks about his younger years. I have to admit that I don't like either of his parents and I personally think they could have changed how things went in his life with some more love and less abandonment.
Courtney speaks out, as usual. I've never liked her but I somehow understood her more after watching this movie. She is rough and it's who she is. Yeah, I still don't like her. You will see her raw and naked.
I was very surprised to see how Frances Bean Cobain came into this world. That part as well as the part when Kurt was holding her on his lap during the hair cutting scene really surprised me. But at the same time, I was enjoying every moment of it.
In summary
I really loved every moment of getting to know the man whose music I grew up listening to. It makes me really sad that he had to go through SO much heartache and pain. I played a lot of Nirvana in my teen years and owned all his CDs and I really feel a connection to him. Maybe that makes me a bit biased with the film, but like I said, I was not expecting as much as I got.
The film techniques used also kept me glued to my seat, unable to look away. All in all, it was a very well done and impressive documentary film.
I recommend this for sure if you like Nirvana. You can view the trailer below.
