It is By no means Over, Jeff Buckley by no means lets us overlook that the person, the parable, and the topic of this documentary, Jeff Buckley, was an unknowable enigma. The feature-length exploration of his too-short life in the end fails to know him, regardless of its semi-genuine makes an attempt. Buckley’s life and legacy lower a tragic determine, and whereas It is By no means Over tries to fight the forces that might let Buckley’s dying overshadow his life, it is nearly not possible to not concentrate on the tragedy.
Largely revolving across the launch of his album and the occasions of his dying, It is By no means Over would not overcome the pitfalls of its style. It is robust to craft a music documentary with out coming off as disingenuous, particularly when mining the lifetime of an individual as non-public as Buckley. Directed by Amy Berg, It is By no means Over mirrors the visible model and language that have been a part of Buckley’s persona, and takes a stab at mining the magic of the New York ’90s music scene to pique our curiosity.
Grace was launched in 1994, and it is laborious to undervalue the affect that Buckley’s single studio album has had on songwriting within the years which have adopted. If It is By no means Over achieves something, it is reminding us that Buckley was a drive who will not be forgotten. Nevertheless, the individuals who make up the doc’s target market aren’t the individuals who would overlook the ability that Buckley’s music nonetheless holds at this time.
It is By no means Over Tries To Seize The Uncapturable, Solely Making Buckley Really feel Extra Distant
In Making an attempt To Perceive The Mysterious Musical Determine, The Documentary Additional Mythologizes Him
The ladies in Buckley’s life take heart stage, along with his mom, Mary Guibert, and romantic companions Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, giving intimate interviews that shine a lightweight on how they felt about Buckley, if not how he felt about something. The person who tried to maintain fame at arm’s size his complete life isn’t any simpler to seize at this time. This can be a fixed battle, particularly since Buckley got here up within the age of MTV. For many followers, every part you wish to know is already on the market, however the movie makes an attempt to maintain issues recent and potent.
Unfolding largely chronologically and taking an curiosity within the lasting results that Buckley’s dad and mom’ absence and presence had on his life and his music, It is By no means Over meanders alongside, expressing curiosity in a number of of Buckley’s massive moments. Highlights embrace his efficiency at a tribute live performance for his late father, getting his report deal, and the various years he spent touring. Whereas there’s some nice archival footage and interviews with Buckley, It is By no means Over fails to justify why we would have liked this venture. Practically 30 years after his dying, we are no nearer to fixing the thriller of this man, and we in all probability should not be.
One of many sometimes redeeming qualities of a music documentary is the soundtrack, and whereas Buckley’s music rings clearly all through the venture, it is not correctly given its due. It is a troublesome style, and one which comes into the world soaked with unhappiness and unfulfilled potential, because the narrative of those tales is way too acquainted. We activate these films to look at the well-known and unattainable fall from grace, and it is an unpleasant follow. Buckley won’t have succumbed to substance abuse, however the documentary greater than implies that fame was greater than a precipitating consider his dying.
It is an fascinating line to stroll, because the viewer is sort of indicted as being a part of the issue and the machine that forces these stars to burn out. Nevertheless, we’re concurrently invited into essentially the most private components of his life that he would by no means need uncovered, virtually freed from cost. Very like Buckley’s life, the documentary is an unfinished sentence, or a musical phrase that by no means fairly reaches its peak. The movie is not utterly devoid of that means or emotion, however even with all of the archival footage, it feels as if it is barely scratching the floor.
It is By no means Over, Jeff Buckley Cannot Shake Its Exploitative Tinge
Although Meant As A Tribute, The Documentary Struggles To Really feel Real
Perhaps it is nonetheless too quickly, and possibly it at all times will likely be, however It is By no means Over simply makes me want we may depart Jeff Buckley alone. There’ll at all times be an edge to initiatives like this that make them really feel exploitative. Maybe meant as a tribute to a person who spent his life misunderstood, It is By no means Over solely additional confuses his determine and fame in dying. We will by no means and can by no means know what he actually considered issues, and it is an train in futility to strive.
From what will be gleaned about Buckley from this sanitized tackle a human life, he would not need his previous to be dredged up like this for leisure. For followers of the artist, there is no actual purpose to not watch It is By no means Over, Jeff Buckley, as he is a compelling icon to spend time with, and the movie says rather a lot about us and the best way we devour his music and have interaction along with his legacy. The documentary would not know who Jeff Buckley was. Nevertheless, it’d expose what we’re determined to get from him, gone the time he has something left to present.
It is By no means Over, Jeff Buckley
5/10
- Launch Date
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August 8, 2025
- Runtime
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106 minutes
- Director
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Amy J. Berg
- Producers
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Brad Pitt, Jennifer Westin, Michael Bloom, Matthew Roozen, Ryan Heller, Maria Zuckerman, Jennie Bedusa, Christine Connor
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Jeff Buckley
Self (archive footage)
- The documentary tries to not sensationalize Buckley’s dying.
- There are sturdy interviews and compelling archival footage that accompany distinctive visible selections.
- The narrative by no means delves deep sufficient into Buckley’s life and persona.
- There’s an inherently exploitative edge to initiatives like this.