Customer Reviews

Being Mick: You Would if You Could

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

While only a casual fan of The Rolling Stones, I was intrigued to watch this (originally) TV special when it aired on Thanksgiving in 2001 because you have to admire someone approaching 60 still being creative, spirited, and intent on creating a beautiful work of art. In Mick Jagger's case, this would be his hugely underrated 2001 solo album _Goddess in the Doorway_.

This 'Rockumentary' features Mick in his studio as well as other studios around the world (with Lenny Kravitz, Pete Townshend, Wyclef Jean, etc.) working on songs for _GitD_. At the same time, it features Mick working behind the scenes producing the movie "Enigma" starring Kate Winslet. One interesting scence has Mick attending a charity benefit/party at Elton John's house and the two frankly discuss Madonna's recent tour. Great, candid stuff. The most interesting part of the DVD tho' is just watching Mick Jagger work, writing lyrics, recording vocals, and taping ideas on a tiny recorder. The man is truly one of the most important figures of rock and roll. The fact that new songs such as "God Gave Me Everything" and "Gun" are as vital and as fresh as anything he's ever done is even more amazing.

I'd not only recommend this to Stones/Mick fans, but to anyone who wants to be inspired watching someone being creative in what they do for a living. Additionally, pick up _GitD_ -- it's definitely an album that undeservedly fell by the wayside.

I watched "Being Mick" on Thanksgiving Night. Needless to say, it was the highlight of my holiday weekend. I am an avid Mick Jagger fan and collector. It was great to see the "real" Mick, at home, playing with his kids, and in his recording studio. Most of my other videotapes are at concert venues. It was nice to see him at home and just "being Mick". I would like to see more of this type of thing. I do enjoy the concerts, but it is nice to see documentary type coverage. I am glad he did something like this to show the "new kids" that the mature rockers still have it. --tg

We thought that Being Mick was a great video. My daughter and I are big Rolling Stones fans. I hope to find more videos like this in the future.

For anyone who likes Mick Jagger this movie is a must see. This movie gives you a great insight into his life. He is a great father, a loving son. I particularly liked how he spent so much time with his family in every minute of his spare time. It was so fun to watch him travle from place to place. This movie is very funny and a wonderful all around family flim.

If you are a Stones/Jagger fan, or even not, who enjoys quality entertainment you will find this one hour documentary a pleasing work. It is a unique glimpse into Jagger's work and family life. It is nicely edited, well paced, and leaves the viewer wishing for more.

On the music side there is Bono, Wycliff Jean, Pete Townsend and Lenny Kravitz. Watch for the little comments that Jagger and others make throughout this video. Pay attention when Jagger enters Kravitz's house. Very funny stuff. Jagger tapes most of this on a consumer level DV video camera and the quality is excellent.

Kate Winslet and Elton John are also seen. It is also revealing to see Jagger's devotion to his family and his children. His views on the institution of marriage are very interesting indeed. It also has a very insightful little bit of an exchange between him and former wife Jerry Hall while riding in a car.

Check it out! A very nice addition to the DVD library for me and I recommend it most highly.

This movie is great fun. One guy above panned it for being a thinly-veiled PR piece and that's very obviously what it is... but it's fun to be able to glimpse into Mick's world and see how a Rolling Stone spends his golden years. He's very campy and funny, which is great. It's also fun to watch him sing old Grahm Parsons and Rolling Stones songs by the piano. And it's funny to see his mild-mannered dad sitting in the background of so many scenes.

What I don't get though is how some people give it five stars. This is not "Citizen Cain" folks! People need to get a clue about how to work the Amazon.com rating system. Five stars should be reserved for classics, one star for crap. Three stars should me "worth buying but it won't change your life." That's how I'd rate this.

I will say this... the renditions of the songs that appear on "Goddess" sound great on here, in their raw form. It's when he gets in the studio and labors over them that they start to sound like crud. He needs to learn that you shouldn't overproduce your records! I mean, how great would a striped-down blues record from the Stones be at this stage in their career?

I was prepared to not like this DVD very much (I rented it first) but Mick is having such a great time and is such a charmer that it gradually won me over. It's fun to see what Sir Mick is up to between Stones tours.

I agree with another reviewer that his solo work is overproduced...best to leave it spontaneous ala the Stones.

There are some neat vignettes on the DVD:

One of Mick's daughters warning him to not bring home a female younger than her.

A 9 YO girl in Florida stops Mick and asks him "Are you the lead singer with the Rolling Stones?" --a question more likely to have been asked in 1965 rather than 2001-- Mick is gracious to the youngun' (he has a 9 YO daughter at the time) and gives the girl time to tell him Britney Spears 'stole' his song on her CD.

In NYC Mick runs into vocal trouble and is quickly ushered into the offices of 'Dr Kessler',an ENT specialist to vocal stars, and we are given a photo of Micks famous layrnx from the doc.

All in all a fun show, lot of fluff but enjoyable for Stones completists.

The DVD is currently selling here for $1.95 new and is certainly worth that!

If you want to know how Mick Jagger works when he's surrounded by great artists, then this is the best documentary.

Got this for my mom who is a longtime fan of the Rolling Stones and Mic, so when she saw this she was so happy. Great purchase and glad I found it used.

This felt like a particularly vacuous segment of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous." I guess I was looking for an insightful glimpse into the world of Mick Jagger. Instead, I got a poorly edited glorification of Mick as loving father, musical prodigy and jetsetting man of the world. There was no critical analysis of his life, his music, his failed relationships, his relationship with offspring not appearing in the film, etc. This felt like a self-promotional image piece that was carefully designed to present Jagger as a man of sterling character. My suspicion was confirmed, in fact, when I read the closing credits: Mick was the Executive Producer. I have a feeling that the purpose of this so-called documentary was to inspire greater interest in Jagger among the public, and particularly among his fans, in order to increase sales of his newly released solo album. There's nothing wrong with such aggressive marketing, but let's not call the film a "documentary" - a "public relations" piece would have been a more fitting description. I have far greater respect for the documentary form than this hollow work conveyed.