Meryl Streep: Guitar Queen! "Ricki and the Flash"

Ricki and the Flash (2015)

Rated

Starring Meryl Streep, Rick Springfield, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Stan, Nick Westrate

Directed by Johnathan Demme

The Story:

Ricki (Streep) loves performing with her band, The Flash. So much so, that she left her husband (Kline) and their kids (Gummer, Stan, Westrate) to pursue her passion. When their daughter Julie winds up nearly killing herself, Ricki is invited back home to help deal with the depression. She may have been a terrible mom, but she still loves her kids and might do better with this second chance.

Once Meryl Streep decides she wants to sing, she's going to keep on singing. Apparently Mama Mia scratched an itch for her, and she's going to indulge it.

This dramedy actually has quite a bit going for it, and Streep's singing is actually the least of it.

Watching her reconnect with her kids that clearly don't want her around, then come to accept that she is who she is, which is their mom, and she's doing the best that she can, the only way she knows how is not really rushed as it unfolds.

Kevin Kline, charming as ever, plays the dad perfectly, however the clear winner of the cast here is Audra McDonald who comes in late to the action as "Mom # 2". She's sweet, charming, level-headed, and everything that Ricki was not to the kids. In fact, it was all of her intervention over the years that even allows the kids to have a relationship with their mom at all.

Now, if the struggle with her former family isn't enough, there's also the romantic subplot between her and her lead guitar player (Springfield). He clearly loves her, but she wants to keep things strictly physical.

There's a lot to like here, and I will have to chalk this one up to being pleasantly surprised at how engaging it was, considering how many different minor subplots they try and toss in the air to juggle at the same time.

Final Grade: B-

The History Of Rock Via "Sound City"

Sound City (2013)

Documentary

Starring Dave Grohl, Rick Springfield, Lindsey Buckingham, Neil Young, Tom Petty

Directed by Dave Grohl

The Story:

If you enjoyed rock music from 1975 until the early 2000s, odds are one of your favorite musicians recorded an album at Sound City.  Using one of 4 Neve custom boards to record the music, Sound City studios had a lasting impact on the journey of rock music.  The documentary follows the humble beginnings to the creation of Fleetwood Mac (as fans know them) in their studios.  They really take off when Rick Springfield signs with their company, and they come back into prominence when a group called Nirvana records their album there.

With the studio closing, Grohl goes on a holy crusade to rescue the board and transport it to his personal studio.

He does.
It works.

And he invites a who's who of famous musicians to come record something new on the old Neve for old time's sake.

Along the way there's a lot of archival footage, some revealing interviews, and generally a lot of good fun and love directed towards rock and roll.

If you love good music, you owe this one at least a look-see.

Final Grade: Solid B... you could persuade me to go B+ if you ask nicely. ;)

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Nothing I'd need to own and watch again, but I wouldn't mind watching it. Well made and entertaining.

He's Done Everything For You...Including the Documentary "An Affair of the Heart"

Putting the fan, in fanatic!

The Story:

Rick Springfield is still rocking today.  Sure, everyone knows "Jessie's Girl", but the man had a serious amount of hits, and has continued putting out quality music over the years.  This is a look at some of his fans, and the relationship Rick now enjoys with these ardent fans.

That's devotion!

First, it should be noted, and is, by Rick, MTV VJ Mark Goodman and others, that back in the day when Rick was at the height of his popularity... he was a bit of a dick. ;)  Never had time for his fans, or just paying them lip service, Rick moved through life at a breakneck pace.

But someday, when the star stopped shining as brightly, Rick realized that the fans were still there.  They still loved the music; they still loved him.

This relationship has worked well for both, the fans and Rick both gaining insight, strength and happiness from the interaction.

While Rick appears throughout, the documentary really focuses on some of the fans.  From those that came to know Rick in times of dire need and have remained loyal to the man and his music ever since, the majority of the tales aren't too borderline obsessive...

But we come close a few times!

:)

As the documentary is nearing its conclusion with the cruise, even some non-fans question how healthy the fans are obsessing after Rick Springfield.  After sitting down with one, they are still just as skeptical, if not moreso. 

While not nearly as consumed as anyone in this documentary, I still remain a fan of his music to this day.

The man had quite a catalog of really good songs from the 80s, many of which will be heard live on this documentary.

Available to stream instantly on Netflix as of this writing.

Final Grade: B

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Interesting once, but since the focus is on the fans more than Rick or his career, replay value really isn't there.