Review of American: The Bill Hicks Story (2010) by Dillinger P — 04 Mar 2014

Easily one of the best documentaries i've ever seen on a single person. Bill Hicks was more than just a comedian, he was a guy with a world wide message, someone who didn't care about crossing boundries to let his messages be heard and for the time he was alive, he sure shook up a lot of people.

This Expertly crafted documentary tells of the life of Bill, growing up, family life, how he snuck out the house to get his first gig at a comedy workshop and continues on till his final moments. The style of this is unbelievable, the director decides to go for using pictures of everyone and putting them in a scenario as the interviewee would describe the situation.

Its a breath of fresh air to see something like this and really gives a sense of who and what Bill was all about. It doesnt dip, it doesnt lose its stride, it just keeps on trucking until the end. Instead of, like most documentaries, spend time revelling in the recess of his death, it ends out on a happy note, yes the family speak of his final gigs and their last times together but it never goes beyond that and it always stays positive, which is something I think represents Bill and his values.

The film ends with a segment from one of his live shows, with a message so clear and powerful. A wonderful documentary that will inspire as well as educate.