#REVIEW: “KURT COBAIN: MONTAGE OF HECK” (HOT DOCS)

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong

Brett Morgen has proven to be a Documentarian to look out for, and with his newest Film, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck he takes on his most daunting task due to the majority knowing of Kurt Cobain/Nirvana. When doing a Film on a subject that was in the public eye there is the hard task of revealing information that has not previously been out there so Fans will not be disinterested as well as newcomers be equally informed. Thankfully, Morgen finds the perfect balance between new and old information with some very insightful interviews.

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck spends roughly the first hour of the Film giving an inside look into Kurt’s life prior to his success in Nirvana. The Film offers new insight into his upbringing  and some of his lifestyle choices, along with how his transformation began into a darker period in his life. As time began to pass, and Nirvana was created Kurt found himself more interested in writing Music with passion than he was writing hits, something that pushed him to the edge in the end. Moreover, in Kurt’s life, drugs were constantly present both pre-Nirvana and during Nirvana, in which his consumption escalated.

In the Film, Morgen experiments with a few methods of story telling that breaks up the flow of the Film and engages the Audience. When there is a Narrative Voice present talking about decisions or acts that Kurt did that there was no footage for, the clips would be this dark, grungy animation that reflects upon both Kurt Cobain the person and the message that Nirvana stood for; popularizing a new Genre of Music and giving birth to Superstars.

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck explores the life of Kurt Cobain and his transformation from childhood into the grunge rock singer that moved a Nation. For Fans of Nirvana, the Movie offers more insight that was previously unknown as well as offering a new track. For people who are not familiar with Kurt Cobain or Nirvana, Montage of Heck serves as a perfect starting point for a band that created a movement.

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck screens during Hot Docs at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Friday April 24. 2015 at 9:45 PM and again at The Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on Saturday April 25, 2015 at 1:15 PM.