Director:Susan Lacy, Jessica Levy Year:
2025 Rating: 7.5
I am not sure the world needed a five-hour documentary
about Billy Joel but here it is. Napoleon, Lincoln and Einstein were covered
in less time, but they didn't have four wives talking about their husband.
This is very much a love ode to Billy Joel with him narrating much of his
life with others piping in from time to time. It is very personal, very intimate
at times, delves into some dark places in his life and I came away with great
respect for his career, but honestly not liking the man very much. For all
the success of his work, of the wealth, of the beautiful wives and adorable
children, of his astonishing innate talent, he never seems to find joy or
happiness. Life is a constant competition for him. Thousands of shows, thousands
of hours composing and recording and he never looks happy or satisfied. Which
probably is what drove him to be what he is.
Like I said with the Led Zeppelin documentary,
the most interesting part of these films is the rise to success, the hard
work, the disappointments, the breaks, the luck. And that is true of this
film as well. Once he becomes a big star, it loses me a bit. He was a Long
Island boy who grew up in a dysfunctional family. The father vanished when
he was five and a bi-polar mother brought him and his sister up. But his parents
gave him a piano and a love for music. He was a prodigy. He joined
a local band and he knew that this was his way out.
One little step at a time. I always thought
Piano Man made him, but not really. There were some down times afterwards.
A lousy record contract. Albums that didn't sell. Playing crap venues. Columbia
heard Captain Jack on the radio and signed him and soon became dissatisfied
with him. He turned down George Martin who wanted to produce his record because
Martin wanted to use session players and Joel refused. Columbia didn't like
The Stranger. No singles. It went on to be one of the bestselling records
of all time. I even bought it. From there Joel went on to success after success
to become the icon he is. I didn't think I knew his music very well, but I
recognized nearly every song played. They are just part of our culture.
The film was very interesting to me when
it gets into the music business - snakes - his manager - snake - his stealing
the wife of his best friend - him and Clapton - her guiding his career till
he tired of her - his meeting Christie Brinkley, Elle McPherson and Whitney
Houston at the same time - and when he tracks his father down some 20 years
after he left living in Vienna. And he hears for the first his family's tragic
history. A Jewish family living in Nuremburg in the 1930s. His father and
his grandparents barely get out in time. Most of his relatives did not. His
father was in the military under Patton and came across Dachau. There is obviously
a lot covered in five hours and Joel is always interesting and seemingly
honest. It talks about his drinking problems, his insecurities, his love
of performing, his inability to stay in relationships and his inability to
be satisfied. Broken into two parts.
