Sometimes even if a film doesn’t hold a great deal of immediate appeal a potential viewer will have heard enough good things about it to give it a chance. That was this critics impression consistently seeing this acclaimed Bee Gees documentary presence in the list of films available for cheap rental with Amazon Prime. The Bee Gees on one of those cultural artefacts that have persisted through some iconic tracks. From this outsiders perspective, they were only really known through these songs ubiquitous Having seen the documentary by Hollywood veteran producer Frank Marshall it’s easy to see why this film has won an audience. It opens with a very poignant contemporary interview snippet from Barry Gibb as he mourns being the last living member of the trio in 2019. Things then flash black and what follows is a relatively comprehensive documentation of their story within the confines of the 130-minute runtime. The piece very smartly edits in archival interview contributions from the two deceased members of the group to give a strong sense of perspective on their world-conquering fame. This is done in a way that feels incredibly natural. There are also retrospective contributions from other figures around the time. Not to mention modern interviews with contemporary stars ( Noel Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Nick Jonas, Chris Martin Justin Timberlake) discussing the group’s influence. all of this is relatively conventional given the pieces very distinct and well worn stylistic choices. That said it is a textbook example of how to employ the talking head/ archive-based documentary styles. n a way that put focus The film is not afraid to be an effective showcase of the so-called Disco Demolition Night One of the most ensuring examples of backlash culture that’s arguably even more relevant in the age of the Internet than it was in 1976. This includes the mandatory clip of the hilariously awkward cultural artefact that is Disco Duck. This writer encourages readers to experience this bizarre time capsule of pure mid-70s overexposure for themselves.
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? is an incredibly solid, well crafted and engaging piece of work. It will work for existing fans. That said it also proves effective on its own merits regardless of viewers individual emotional connexions to the Bee Gees. When looking at contemporary music documentaries it’s certainly one of the better offerings available. A solid recommendation for a very watchable and audience-friendly piece of work.
7/10
A Little Bit Of Everything 