Come As You Are, As A Viewer
Director: Brett Morgen
Running Time: 132 Minutes
Starring: Kurt Cobain, Courtney Love, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl
When it comes to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, documentaries tend to focus on his tragic passing. Brett Morgen wisely leaves out this aspect, instead casting a focus upon his life. This is done through the use of many personal aides, such as home movies, notes he made through the years, and audio recordings that are set to animated visuals.
It's clear what's the goal of this documentary; to delve into the life of Kurt Cobain. Morgen focuses on digging beneath the legendary status associated with Cobain, looking at the man as opposed to the spokesman for a disassociated generation.
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| An animated image depicting Kurt's adolescent years |
We viewers are taking on a journey through the years. We see videos of him playing with his daughter, view drawings he's done from childhood to adulthood, even listen to him describe his virginal life. It's all thoroughly intimate, almost as if we're intruding, but also rather heartfelt. A word should also be said for the soundtrack, which includes many Nirvana songs, but also unique versions of their hits. A music-box version of All Apologies is the stand out, but an operatic Smells Like Teen Spirit manages to be haunting.
If what you desire a documentary that focuses on Kurt's legendary status, or the circumstances of his death, search elsewhere. For an intimate look into the man that headlined Nirvana, look no further.
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