BITTERSWEET MOTEL A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2000 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
Aren't home movies wonderful?
You don't have to worry about focus, lighting or subject material; you just point your camcorder and shoot. Editing is basically unnecessary, and you can just play the tape wherever you left off last. After all, your only intended audience is your friends, who are already predisposed to like it anyway.
So it is with Todd Phillips's BITTERSWEET MOTEL, a documentary about the rock group called Phish. I had never heard of Phish before this movie, which may reveal something about my age. Not having previous interest in a subject, however, should be no hindrance. I had never thought much about electric chair construction or about the grunge rock movement, but the documentaries about them, Errol Morris's MR. DEATH and Doug Pray's HYPE!, were absolutely engrossing.
In contrast, BITTERSWEET MOTEL is so formless that I began to wonder if the projectionist might have scrambled the reels. The documentary is as generic as the band it follows. Their bland music reminds me of the sort of things that I hear playing from the ceiling while lying in the dentist's chair. It is relaxing but completely forgettable.
But, just because the band isn't the next Rolling Stones, it does not follow that a documentary about them has to be so lifeless. We clearly see that this good-spirited group, described as dorks by some of their loyal fans, does enjoy their work. They pride themselves on their improvisational playing, with the result that every concert of theirs is different.
The members of Phish certainly don't take themselves too seriously. Their guitarist, Trey Anastasio, remarks after one of their self-described best concerts that they were "almost as good as James Brown on his worst day." Earlier Trey explains why he could never be the next Jimi Hendrix. Jimi grew up listening to the blues, whereas Trey spent his formative years, hanging out in New Jersey shopping malls. This is about as insightful as this movie ever gets.
In summary, BITTERSWEET MOTEL is for Phish fans only.
BITTERSWEET MOTEL runs what feels like a very long 1:20. It is not rated but would be an R for brief instances of language, drug usage and mass nudity. Absent these brief sections, the movie is pure G. It would be fine for teenagers.
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
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