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The Crack Magazine

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Pavements

Director: Alex Ross Perry.

Stars: Stephen Malkmus, Bob Nastanovich, Scott Kannberg, Steve West, Mark Ibold, Rebecca Clay Cole, Gary Young, Joe Keery, Jason Schwartzman

This mockumentary/ rockumentary (if you will) charts the 90s U.S. alt rock band’s career, their legacy, and reunion in a non-linear, freewheeling, and highly fanciful manner, while spoofing trad music biopics. Along with archive and contemporary actual footage of the ‘most important and influential’ band, the picture features scenes from an imagined jukebox musical ‘Slanted and Enchanted!’ about a young Malkmus -like musician who makes his way to NYC to seek his fortunes. Amusingly, some of the band’s songs work surprisingly well as stage musical numbers. The film also features an exhibition staged to celebrate the band’s legacy, replete with mementoes and a star- studded launch, and a big-budget biopic. During the filming of the latter the film’s star ‘Stranger Things’ Joe Keery has an identity crisis while going in too deep playing Malkmus. The slackerish irreverent approach proves is frequently funny, particularly when spoofing the contrived biopic conventions, with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’s’ dramatically dovetailing ending getting particular and deserved stick. What might have worked perfectly in ninety minutes though becomes tiresome over a two hour plus running time.

David Willoughby

Follow David on Bluesky @davidwilloughby.bsky.social

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