Review of Searching for Sugar Man (2012) by Joel M — 27 Feb 2013

"Pour some Sugarman on me!!" is what many South Africans have said throughout the last four decades about folk musician Rodriguez who hails from Detroit. South Africans have adored his sweet sugar music throughout that time, and he has become a musical national folk hero in that country. However, the same thing could not be said here in the United States. Let's just say that Pepito Rodriguez who runs a neighboring grocery store close to where I live is as famous as Rodriguez here in the States, that is until now. "Searching for Sugarman" is a fascinating documentary that tells Rodriguez' unbelievable story. Rodriguez made two albums in the early 70's in Detroit that unfortunately flopped in the U.S. "I wonder" why because the tunes were mesmerizing. Years later, one of his records ended up in South Africa (which the doc explains), and suddenly the people of South Africa fell in love with Rodriguez's music. However, they all thought Rodriguez was dead by suicide on stage, which was really a folk story. Director Marc Benjelloul's documentary is sweet music to our ears in his powerful orchestration of "Searching for Sugarman". Benjelloul himself has demonstrated excellent artistic skills that many might not have heard of before. Benjelloul interviews South African record producers & journalists that marveled at Rodriguez's talent, a South African record store owner who was instrumental in bringing Rodriguez to South Africa, Rodriguez's Detroit construction co-workers, and more significantly Rodriguez's three adult daughters. "Searching for Sugarman" just recently won the Best Documentary Oscar, and that was very well- deserved. See "Searching for Sugarman" please please please with sugar on top.

***** Excellent.