Review of Ragamuffin (2014) by Roy W — 13 Jul 2014

Ragamuffin is a compelling drama that is effective, if flawed. Rich was a close friend of mine. I knew him from college and beyond. The thread the film focuses on is perhaps the major theme in his life.

The redemptive arc is both authentic and compelling. His demons are depicted, less so his angels. Rich was incredibly complex. He was playful and impish and significantly less verbally moody than depicted in the film.

But, he did have an overwhelming angst--it's just that he mostly didn't talk about it. It came out in his music, in his rants at his concerts, and sometimes late at night over beers (or Long Islands).

He was also fun and funny and incredibly irreverent. He loved being radical and controversial. He would say something shocking for mere joy of watching the reaction he would get. He would also give his stuff away.

Not just a little bit or it...a lot of it...and all the time. And where ever he went, what he didn't give away, he left. He couldn't remember to take it with him. Stuff didn't mean much to him.

He was curious about life; he was always learning and pursuing a million projects and ideas. His sorrow, for the most part, was below the surface. Above the surface was an overwhelming infectious spirit of joy and love and participation in life.

Rich was nearly always present. He was passionate and involved. He deeply loved the people in his life and it was easy to become one of the people in his life. But, the darkness was there. It did drive him.

And his darkness and longing had little to do with getting the right girl (this is the films biggest trivialization-though he did have some heart-breaking romances). Rich was always "longing for a shelter that is larger than this room.

" He quietly moved with an understanding that "this world in not my (his) home." If you want to make a movie about his life, then the darkness that he mostly suppressed had to be elevated to a place where it could be seen and redeemed.

The film does this well. The movie affects people when they see it. Many are driven to confess, or at least talk about their own imperfection and struggle. Rich was a ragamuffin and so is this movie. Ragamuffin is a flawed, brilliant, inconsistent and ultimately inspiring film.

The flaws with the beauty capture the spirit of Rich. It could have perhaps captured him better. There was certainly a whole lot more to his life than what was depicted. But the filmmakers got a good deal of it right.

And the parts they got right were among the bits that mattered most.