American: The Bill Hicks Story (2010)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

If you've never heard of Bill Hicks, I'm guessing you've heard of Muhammad Ali. That brash and forthright hero of boxing who was much more than just a sportsman; a social and political icon who through his actions, words and spirit, inspired millions. Though revered the world over and without a doubt "up there", Ali is seldom considered the best boxer ever. What's this got to do with the late stand-up comedian Bill Hicks? Well, he too may not have been the finest his medium had to offer, but he's certainly the most important.In the first official documentary feature about his life, American is a stylish and moving experience that charts Hicks' physical and spiritual journey through the stand-up circuit, both off stage and on; his quest for success that would transform him from one of the brightest young talents in stand-up to the ranting, renegade genius whose mind-opening material went beyond comedy and changed it forever.Made with the full cooperation of Hicks' family and friends, novice directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas have crafted an essential look into one of the most devalued and influential figures of the modern age whose unsung words of rage and wisdom still ring true over a decade on from his untimely death.Though frank and sometimes vicious in his observations of American life and politics, Hicks is portrayed as a hopeless romantic; the ultimate patriot who believed in a better world. His was the voice his country needed, just not the one it wanted. Such was his domestic anonymity that the bulk of his praise ultimately came from the British public and media who, in the early 1990's, championed his hilarious, homespun satire and antisocial cynicism. What's not to like about taking the mickey out of Americans? The film's finale (an exert from one of his UK shows) is a heartfelt meditation on war and peace that defined what the man was all about, though. Hicks never hated his homeland, he just feared what it had become and thought it could do better.There's more to this documentary than Hicks' fascinating work and ideals, though. A level of cohesion and humanity is found in the film's attention to detail regarding Hicks' estranged personal life; from his alcoholism and regular drug use to his lone life on the road and fatal date with pancreatic cancer. Hicks was also a talented musician and poet whose memoirs and music feature throughout the film in addition to oodles of unseen archival footage and stills from his shows and youth.Despite a slow and sometimes repetitive opening, Harlock and Thomas' off-the-wall documentary is a fresh and thoughtful biopic; an honest and psychedelic fusion of art and artistry that lays bare the heart and soul of an idealist who, if he had lived, may have staged a revolution. Hicks told the truth about the way he saw the world and did so with such humour, such clarity and candour that it riled a lot of people. He inspired a whole lot more, though. His influence on stand-up comedy and comedy, in general, are there for all to see. Bill Hicks achieved something only terrifying artists do- he told us; this is how we live now. American is the quintessential portrait of his life. Unmissable.

To the people in the know, Bill Hicks is revered as one of the greats. I must admit I wasn't all that familiar with his work before seeing this documentary. I may have seen the odd snippet here and there, maybe even caught part of the odd TV appearance when getting back late from the pub, but this is the first time I've actually sat down and watched any his work properly. You'll be pleased to know you've got a convert right here! I can see why he was so successful over here in the UK; his style of humour is just the kind of thing we love. But I digress, here's a bit about the film.We are told the story of Bill Hicks right from birth until his death, tragically young, only 32 years later. It's quite fascinating how he started out as a teenager with his friend Dwight Slade, and how they'd sneak out of the house to go and play gigs at a local comedy club. He gains some success and ends up solo when Dwight has to move away and we follow his career through alcoholism, drug abuse and back again. It's only when he cleaned up that he had his greatest successes though. Sadly he never really made it really big in his home country during his lifetime, but he left us with some truly memorable and thought-provoking comedy… In my book, a genius.Rather than just having lots of talking heads in between scenes of Bill on stage, the filmmakers used some photo-animation to illustrate certain parts of the story. This worked very well and served to keep the audience interested in the narrative. Many of his friends and family contribute to the story, which gives this version of events a lot of credence. I found I was not only intrigued by his life story, but also by his comedy. I will certainly be looking at more of the work of Bill Hicks… Recommended.My Score: 8.2/10.IMDb Score: 7.9/10 (based on 1,716 votes at the time of going to press).Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82/100 (based on 55 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

It seems like the other reviewers are giving this documentary high marks because it is about a comedian they love. That is a mistake. This is a poor documentary. This documentary consists of friends of Bill's talking about him while we look at old pictures scrolling across the screen. This is occasionally interrupted by 5-10 seconds of actual video of Bill or one of his cohorts.To me, this fails as a documentary, it is purely a fan piece. If you love Bill Hicks now, then this will make you love him more. If you are not a fan, then this will make you avoid his work as much as possible. From what I know, Bill was a very thoughtful and talented person, it's too bad someone as thoughtful as him didn't make the film about him.

*...Who knows?.. I'm sure he would appreciate the fact that it is, at least, the truth.If anyone has not yet experienced any of Mr. Hick's incredibly funny, artistic and sometimes groundbreaking performances, expressing his ideas, opinions and beliefs through the medium of Stand Up comedy then (unless you are from another planet...) I would have to ask; "where have you been and what exactly have you been doing with your life??.."Although this was pretty well made and mostly interesting it is more a homage by his family and closest friends about his upbringing and his life from their point of view, not a detailed dissection of all his work and media appearances. It is also, perhaps, just a final gesture to the many fans to maybe set the record straight on a couple of minor details and to publicize his life again for a new generation of fans... Which, in an age of misinformation, illegal wars and rapid global change is, I think personally, very very important.It fails miserably however to really express just how great this man is and why he is revered by many as a genius and by most, not least his peers, as one of 'the' (sadly)rare and truly important artists in the relatively short history of the form. To be this is really a companion piece to the live recordings and the various other media floating around in the virtual ether.I gave it 8 out of ten just for the possibility that it will encourage some new fans to watch his stand up, learn about him and hopefully, more about the world around them in a humorous way.To me he still is a truly genuine human being in a world full of fake, fallacy and fear.An inspiration to anyone who believes in logic, reason, individuality, equality, the freedom to choose and that love is about the human race as one.Enjoy... :)