Crowe first chronicled the grunge era in 1992 with his movie, Singles. Now, he returns to that scene with one of the best rockumentaries ever made. The film traces the band's early roots in Seattle, the formation, their sudden rise to fame, their near demise, and ultimately defines what will be a promising future.
This movie is not just directed at fans of Pearl Jam. Personally, I haven't followed them since their second release. After watching this I may give them another chance. The film paints them as reluctant musicians that just happen to be in one of the most successful rock bands of the past two decades.
It's also interesting to finally see a documentary that chronicles an era in music that I experienced first hand. Grunge was not just a scene but part of a musical movement that was finally showing it's face around the time I graduated high school. Bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam were finally getting some recognition and making quite a commotion in the world of rock and roll. As a witness to that era, this film is a captivating piece that I felt a strong connection to.
20 is a movie that all fans of music will enjoy. It features studio footage, live performances, and a narrative spoken directly from the perspective of the band. This adds a personal touch and makes it a very honest piece of documentary film making.
If you are a fan of music in general, do yourself a favor and watch this movie. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.