Review of I Am Secretly An Important Man (2010) by Jeff S — 09 Mar 2013

Jesse Bernstein found it amusing that young Germans were reciting the words to his poem "Come Out Tonight" at dance clubs in the 1980s. But this should not be surprising. His work is at once compelling, humorous, and disturbing.

For example, his heartbreaking prose piece "Face." Both of these writings are featured in performance footage included in this well-crafted documentary film by Pete Sillen. Sweet, funny, and sad, the movie follows Jesse's complex life from precocious youngster in Los Angeles of the 1950s through various incarcerations to his involvement with the Grunge scene in Seattle before his suicide in 1991.

Don't miss this glimpse into the life of an unsurpassed story-teller and extraordinary writer.