Review of Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007) by Adam R — 21 Feb 2008

Unconventional documentary exploring the life and art of Clash frontman Joe Strummer.

The interviews, archival footage (the film opens with Strummer singing an intense acapella version of "White Riot"), and anecdotes all complete an oddly complete portrait of Strummer the artist - Strummer the man, however, remains something of an enigma here. Furthermore, the film's rather shallow attempts to be non-traditional (not placing interviewees' names on screen; holding all talking heads portions around camp fires; incorporating found snippets from films such as "If, "Animal Farm," and "1984," analogizing Strummer's life to the themes contained therein) are just frustrating, unnecessary flourishes that detract from the coherence of the story-telling.