Customer Reviews

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart - A Film About Wilco

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is a brilliant documentary by director Sam Jones in which he follows the critically acclaimed band Wilco in the process of recording their fourth album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The film opens on an optimistic note as the band is in the their own recording studio cutting the record. Mr. Jones couldn't have written a more dramatic turn of events when the band presents the album to their label, Reprise, they hate the album and demand changes. When the band refuses to make changes, Reprise, essentially drops them and releases them from their contract. This event became big news in the business and Wilco had the great luck to have a bad situation turn golden when companies got into bidding war for their services. They eventually signed with Nonesuch and the album was released to massive critical praise. The irony of the situation is that both labels were owned by Time-Warner who paid for the album twice. Also, there are some tensions in the band between leader Jeff Tweedy and guitarist and keyboardist Jay Bennett. You don't see any overt animosity between the two other than a scene in which there is a disagreement regarding the mixing of a song ("Heavy Metal Drummer") that is filled with tension, but the resulting parting of the ways adds even more dramatic flavor to the film. Mr. Tweedy is the main force behind Wilco and he dominates the film as well. He provides the most commentary by far and his image is the most widely shown. This film isn't a Behind The Music style expose, the band seem like a normal bunch of guys. No wild partying, just five (and then four) musicians trying to craft an ambitious album. The film has a nice number of live concert performances that are nicely interspersed throughout the film. Mr. Jones shot the film in a grainy black & white that is a nice touch, but it would have been a good idea if he introduced a little color into the film especially in the concert footage. That is just a minor quibble as I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is a first rate documentary that is a must for any Wilco fan. The bonus disk has numerous outtakes as well as an uncut version of the solo performance in San Francisco by Mr. Tweedy that is featured in the film.

I was aware of Wilco when I went to see this movie, but not a huge fan. I couldn't have told you the name of their albums or any of the members of the band - just that I had heard a song or two and like it.
That is the beauty of this film, it is just good whether you are a Wilco fan or not (but you probably will be by the end of the movie). What was supposed to be a "making of" for the band's latest album - yankee foxtrot hotel - turned into an insightful examination of the music industry today. Wilco had enjoyed moderate success and was allowed much more freedom than most in the recording of Yankee Foxtrot. When the record company heard the album, they wanted some changes made. Eventually, they dropped Wilco and gave them back their album.
What you see in this movie is the commercialism of the music industry- which is a necessary part of the industry- fighting with the artistic integrity of making music that means something to you and not compromising (sp?) that. The music industry has to balance artistic integrity and market savvy, however the industry is currently over focused on the commercial and financial side of things.
The movie shows a band that keeps its vision in sight and stays true to their music, and, ultimately, winds up victorious.
I would highly recommend this movie to any music fan.

For some reason that I can't understand, for over three years I've known about this documentary, knew it was highly regarded, and loved the ablum YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT, and yet did not see this until recently. Now that I've seen it, I'm more perplexed than ever as to why I didn't. For one thing, it is a Chicago film, where I live, and might be a neighborhood film (I think their loft is a few blocks from where I live).

There are three things that make this a marvelous film. First, it is great to look at. Photographer Sam Jones made his film debut making this, and it is obvious throughout that it was made by someone with a great eye. He frames his subjects with care, and he also shows great sensitivity in filming the city. Forget all those feature films shot in Chicago: this is what Chicago really looks like, from the early shots along Lake Shore Drive to the ending shot with the guys walking along the lake beside Adler Planetarium (though the latter is not shown), this is the real Chicago. The second reason the documentary shines is the sound. The band sounds great every time you hear them, whether just jerking around or rehearsing or performing on stage or recording in their loft. You can hear why they are a great band from beginning to end. Some documentaries manage to botch the live sound, but in performances here the band is sharp and compelling. The third reason it is a great film is the story, which certainly couldn't have been anticipated at the outset. Jeff Tweedy had been critics' darling from his days as co-leader of Uncle Tupelo (the other co-leader, Jay Farrer, formed Son Volt while Tweedy formed Wilco), and there was a sense that their upcoming album was going to break new ground. The result was an album that was sparer and more minimalistic than previous efforts. Heavily rhythmic, yet allowing silences and spaces where other performers would succumb to the temptation to fill everything with sounds, the songs on the album often seem to contain the minimum amount of embellishment to achieve the desired effect. Although the album would go on to tremendous critical acclaim (it would named the #1 album of 2002 in the prestigious Village Voice Pazz and Jop Poll, which is more impressive than any Grammy award since it is a poll conducted with literally hundreds of top music critics), the record label was underwhelmed, and fired Wilco after the band refused to rerecord parts to make it more commercial. The irony is that after the underground buzz built about the album, they managed to resell the album for a different Time-Warner subsidiary for three times the amount Warners-Reprise originally spent in having it made.

Apart from the immense entertainment value of the film the documentary raises anew an issue that continually arises these days when downloading and file sharing are restructing the entire industry: What is the point of record companies? They obviously are not crucial in maintaining the artistic integrity of the music nor are they key in developing talent. Nor do they make the individual bands much money. I heard another Chicago musician, Billy Corgan, on local NPR state that even his Smashing Pumpkins made very little money off album sales. It is the rare band that doesn't make the vast bulk of its income from live performances. Essentially, record companies continue to provide only two services: PR and record distribution. My own belief is that record companies are entities that have largely become irrelevant. Their demise would necessitate some new arrangement of how music is distributed and promoted--i.e., if a great new band records killer music, how will I hear about it--but I think there is a very good chance that in a couple of decades that record companies as we have known them will have largely ceased to exist. And good riddance.

I'm sure most people who are serious fans of contemporary music have already seen this. But if there are a few unfortunates such as I was myself until recently, this truly is on the short list of must-see rock documentaries. If you haven't seen it, see it now.

I am a big Wilco fan and dragged my wife along to see this film with me at the theatre. She was not a Wilco fan at all, but she enjoyed this film as much as I did. The band come over as funny and charming folks, and Jeff Tweedy shows good grace during what was a traumatic time for the band. This film shows the ups as well the downs and moves along at a good pace never testing the audiences patience. Of course the music is fantastic throughout and the film is beautifully shot in black and white. I remember being so excited when I heard that this film was going to be made and when it finally did come out it was everything I had hoped it would be and more. Excellent.

This excellent, behind-the-scenes film tells the story of making Hotel Yankee Foxtrot and Wilco's struggles to get it done. I cringed at the beginning when the band ebulliently enthuses about the money the record company has given them to record the album, knowing the hammer was about to fall. I immensely enjoyed the filming of the band recording the early version of the album in their loft. The power struggle between Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett was shown quite intimately. I would say the film slowed a bit in the middle while hearing the band's manager tell the camera more than once how he thought Reprise Records was wrong. The film picks up towards the end as Tweedy plays a live show, then later with the rest of the band (without Bennett). Also touching were the scenes with Tweedy and his family at Wendy's. I especially liked the scene where Tweedy taps out the beat to "Heavy Metal Drummer" in concert with his charming son. All in all, this film will please both hardcore Wilco fans as well as find new fans. My wife became a fan and asked me if we have the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot cd at home. I also enjoyed seeing something other than the commercial summer fare found at most theaters these days.

Wilco is one of the definitive bands of the times, not some flash-in-the-pan group - if Wilco were to disappear or break up tomowrrow, they would be remember single handidly for arguably having one of the best albums of the last six years, that being Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I feel we are very lucky the infamous story over that album was filmed, whether for some "looming" future purpose, or it just randomaly happened - I believe it just happened - and for that reason alone is why this film is of value.

Wilco fans, and just rock music fans, should really enjoy this documentary over the development of Wilco's classic album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and the behind-the-music like story that takes place. The bonus disc is worth the money alone, seeing solo performances by Jeff Tweedy, and extra footage of the Wilco live. Like Dylan's Don't Look Back, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart is of a classic rock film level and not to be taken lightly. Excellent film. Definitely worth purchasing!

This package is fantastic, not only do you get the original documentary movie filmed during the recording of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but you get a second DVD with deleted scenes and 17 extra songs. You can choose to watch the the scenes or just watch the live performances, many of which are Jeff Tweedy playing a solo acoustic show.

The first DVD contains the original documentary. Shot in grainy black and white, it brings you into Wilco's somewhat disfunctional world as they labor over the recording of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The intraband tensions and humorous interplay between the members is fascinating as are the interviews with Wilco's manager. The focus though is mainly on the relationship between Jeff Tweedy and his bandmate Jay Bennet. (What is it about Tweedy and his inability to get along with guys named Jay?) It's the creative tension and the ultimate outcome of their relationship that is the most compelling story concerning the band, label troubles notwithstanding. Label troubles they have no shortage of... A day after YHF is delivered, Reprise Records dumps Wilco, but gives the recording to the band without any further financial obligation! Leaving Wilco essentially free to sign to another label with finished product ready for release. As we know the movie has a happy ending.

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is a very interesting portrait of a band in flux and the difficulty of creating art within the confines of music industry expectations and demands. The filmaker states that he had no idea half the band would be fired and Wilco would find itself labeless before the project's end. He certainly got more than he bargained for and a much more compelling movie than if everthing went smoothly.

But story aside, it's really the music that makes this movie as great as it is. We see Wilco both in the studio recording and on the stage playing spirited live versions of many of the songs on YHF. This band is a powerhouse live too. There are plenty of Jeff Tweedy solo acoustic performances as well, either on stage or in more candid moments.

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart is highly recommended to anyone interested in the personalities and problems behind music making, the pitfalls associated with the creative process, music industry crapola, and of course fans of Wilco. There's an honesty about these guys that helps to make their story that much more interesting and human. This DVD made me a believer. I wasn't that big a Wilco fan before seeing it, but I am now.

This is a rock and roll documentary that can be enjoyed by anyone. Even if you don't know who Wilco is or if you're not a huge fan, this documentary can still be completely entertaining. It ranks with the best of the rock and roll documentaries including "Don't Look Back", "The Last Waltz" and "Gimme Shelter".

What seemed to start out as an average making the album documentary turns into so much more as the band struggles and gives everything they have to make the album "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" only to be rejected by the record label when they turn in the final version. Band members clash and Jeff Tweedy seems to be ready to have a nervous breakdown at any moment.

If you don't know much about Wilco, this is a great way to get to know them. "I'm Trying To Break Your Heart" shows how one of the greatest albums of the past ten years was made and the determination it took to bring it to the world. I'm extremely greatful. Thanks Wilco.

Although Yankee Hotel Foxtrot has been among my top-ten records of all time since I picked up a copy shortly after its initial release, I waited almost 5 years to see this documentary film about the album (released in 2003). Why? For one thing, the album speaks very loudly and boldly for itself. When I heard about the documentary I was resistant to add any more information to the process of understanding this album for fear of detracting from the experience. However this week I finally caved. The album has grown with me so much over time I really wanted to learn more about its creation.

I am hardly an objective viewer and I think I would have enjoyed any film containing the music from the album, but there were some elements that really stood out to make the viewing experience impactful. First was the footage of the band's creative process, developing the material as a unit. I was surprised in fact how well the band interacted as a group (at least at first), when I had always thought of Tweedy as more of a type-A. Additionally, live footage abounded, and there were some very nice performances of "Being There"-era material that reminded me why that album was so much fun. Despite the new emphasis on deconstructionism, the band never lost its ability to "rock" in a more conventional sense. I think this speaks highly for their versatility. Further, David Fricke (of Rolling Stone) and others contributed some very thought-provoking discussion of the clash between art and commerce in the modern music industry. The struggles surrounding this album can in fact be seen as a microcosm of a larger problem impacting artistically ambitious musicians in an era where the public's attention span for such things is shrinking. This in fact points the way towards the rise of indie labels devoted to "career artists" which seems to be occurring right now. Finally, the film had a distinct plot with obstacles to overcome (the band being dropped by its label) and a happy ending (owning creative rights to an album funded by a large label and essentially selling it back to them at a higher cost). In true rock n roll fashion, Wilco "stuck it to the man."

The drawbacks? The main one was the focus on the falling out between Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett. It was hilarious to see Bennett's explanation of the ouster (a defensive statement boiling down to: "Tweedy was threatened by my brilliance") yet it also cast him in the worst light possible, lampooning his arrogance to make it seem almost cartoonish. I am sure there was more to the story than we were shown. Additionally, Jeff and Jay's discussion over the details of the sounds coming through the mixing boards was excruciating (and fortunately pretty short). It reminded me of watching my parents argue when I was a kid - they obviously both saw the world from a different perspective and it seemed like they just weren't going to see eye-to-eye on certain things. I can see why Jeff had to throw up after that discussion, I wanted to as well. This part was a little too close to reality TV drama for my liking.

However this is small potatoes in the grand scheme of things, and the film did achieve its purpose - to help the viewer gain more perspective on the album and the process of its development. It also cast the band in a very human light, as fundamentally regular people working together to create a significant artistic statement. I learned a lot about Jeff Tweedy and crew but not so much so as to make me feel like some kind of voyeur - in other words, the band's personal life was largely left untouched and the focus was placed where it should have been - squarely on the music. And what music it was.

Bottom line: you get to watch a beautifully-shot movie about a hard-working band go through some of the most difficult events in their careers - major member upheaval; losing their record deal, not knowing what it is exactly that they're in the process making ... and somehow, you get a great ending out of it also. Plus, the fact that the music is great and you really feel like you're right there. It's just great.

Add to that a whole other disc of musical outtakes that couldn't make it into the theatrical edit - this is what DVD is for. the dvd is laid out simply and elegantly, and just gives you exactly what you want - more Wilco, please. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, from a cinematic standpoint, is easily as beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable as Don't Look Back, one of the filmmaker's inspirations. If you like rock documentaries and the bonus aspect of DVD format, it doesn't get much better than this.