Review of American: The Bill Hicks Story (2010) by Jesse H — 14 Apr 2011

Hicks is one of the finest comedy minds ever and as a performer he was consummate, and this is clear through the presentation of the recordings of his stand up throughout. The film as a documentary is much less successful than its subject.

The photographic animation used for the vast majority of the film is effective in places, but becomes pedestrian, repetitive and even somewhat patronising in parts. The way in which the film moves very quickly between speakers over the animation without showing the speakers' faces or a caption introducing them also becomes increasingly confusing, especially as many of the people Hicks grew up with all have a very similar Houston accent.

And whilst I am a huge fan of Hicks, I found the film to be too biased towards worshipping the man rather than taking a critical eye at certain points (Hicks' alcoholism is given a balanced view, but his drug-taking seems almost entirely to be presented as a positive thing).

Ultimately, Harlock as director never makes his aim clear, making his film technically pedestrian and unremarkable. Hicks' performances deserve five stars; Harlock's documentary deserves no more than two, and the film and not the comedian is being reviewed, the score evens out at three.

Worth watching as an introduction to Hicks' work and to see footage of his performances from the very start of his career to the very end, but if it's Hicks as a comedian you're after, you'd be better off buying a full recording of one of his live shows.