Shooting Livien (2005)

One of my all time favorites.

Absolutely brilliant

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

A great opportunity for and Indy director to make an interesting film about a rock musician on the brink of stardom. It could have been a decent film if it would have dealt with John Livien's traumatic past and how it is torturing his psyche. Instead, it is a ridiculous attempt to identify John Livien's life with John Lennon's. John Livien's suicida mother's hero was John Lennon and she wished for him to become as powerful and prolific as Lennon himself. Instead of focusing on John Lennon's musical brilliance, and his wonderful ability to bare himself for others to learn something about their own life, it showed Lennon's legacy to be that of a confused, drug addicted soul, who should looked upon as a God instead a man. I am a huge John Lennon fan and this movie reminded me of another "crazy" person obsessed with Lennon, Lennon's killer , Mark David Chapman. Lennon was a man who was brutally murdered by someone else who had an identity crisis with Lennon. Do we need to be reminded of that? John Lennon gave so much to the world with his music and honesty and I was repulsed to see another disturbed person, as the main character in this movie obsessed by Lennon, and not show his beautiful contributions to the world. Yoko Ono graciously honored John Lennon's memory,by making the memorial in Central Park to give his fans a chance to pay their respects, and remember John. Instead the director of this movie chose to use that site to have the killer attempt to commit suicide. I found this so disturbing and disrespectful to Lennon's memory. He was a man of peace who died a brutal senseless death, and to see such violence near this site felt like a revisiting a terrible wound for any Lennon fan. It ruined the movie completely for me . It could have been a decent movie, but it left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. Let John Lennon, and his family rest in peace and not be reminded of his vicious murder by this irresponsible movie.

I bought my DVD because i like Jason Behr and want to follow his career. I read the previous comment and found it interesting so...after seeing it...this is mine: It's a different movie. You must stay tuned from the first second until the last one so you don't miss any important fact.You'll also enjoy it if you're the kind of person that likes very different movies, the type that you have to get into the character mind and try to think like him. If you're looking for a romantic, normal, and relaxing movie; this is not the one. It's a complete different plot, far away form Roswell or Dawson's Creek, you will see a very grown up J.B. in a very different roll...so don't be mistaken if you're hopping to see anything like that.My advise to you?, see it and get your own conclusions...but don't miss it.

Shooting Livien a great beautiful Rock Drama by Rebecca Cook. This was excellent filmed in a sort of POV from John Livien's (Jason Behr) vision. John Livien plays in a band with two of his friends Owen(Dominique Monaghan) and Robby(Joshua Leonard) and are trying to make it in the music business. Along the way you will get a look in Livien's mind, and experience his fears, his past and his drug addiction, that lead up to his craziness and dysfunctional life.The music that goes with this movie is outstanding and was done by Fionn Ó Lochlainn. It fits the movie and the lyrics give also a clear view how dark Livien's mind is.One of the items in the "Special Features" on the DVD is Behind the Scenes. Filmed and produced by Scott Eathorne. It was very well done, and it also includes some scenes that weren't used in the original movie.I loved it and can recommend it very highly if you want to buy the DVD.Sandra

Rebecca Cook does a wonderful job with this movie. First, I am not a Beatles fan, and even after seeing this movie I am still not. However, her direction, the locations, lighting music and especially the job of lead actor Jason Behr(Roswell, The Grudge, Happily Even After) sucks you into the narrative based movie like I haven't been engrossed in a movie in quite a while. Sarah Wynter(24) and Dominic Monaghan (Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Lost) both turn in great performances as well, but Behr steals the show. Along with Cook's directing, the soundtrack and the New York Set, I hope this film gets the recognition it deserves. Kudos to Velveteen films.