Review of 20,000 Days on Earth (2014) by Liz B — 19 Sep 2014

After months of anticipation, I really wanted to like this film more than I actually did, both because I have enjoyed some of Cave's music for many years, and also after hearing incredibly gushing reviews of it.

However, I guess I'm just not the target audience for slow, broody documentaries. Knowing that part of Cave's artistry is his self-awareness, I can only assume that every aspect of this film was choreographed and edited very carefully. Yet I dozed off a couple of times, and didn't find some of the musings nearly as profound as others might. The cinematography is lush, there are a few moments of ironic chuckles or poetic beauty, but apart from that I think this film will probably appeal mainly to hardcore fans and conceptual art film buffs.