Review of Patti Smith: Dream of Life

While this is not a perfect documentary, it IS a nice insight into all the spaces of Patti Smith's life, as others have said, we see her as performer, mom, daughter, friend... just being herself. She's amazingly candid and gentle, hard to believe such a quiet soul is so wild, angry and volatile on stage!!!! I saw the film at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, a place Patti often plays since her one-time band member and collaborator, Ivan Kral is Czech. Audience seemed to have a mixed reaction, not sure all were familiar with her work.

*****SPOILER BELOW ******** The film is full of poetry, hers and others.. and ends with a quote I know so well I couldn't help mouthing as she said it... ".. Peace peace he is not dead, he doth not sleep he hath awakened from the dream of life... " --- Shelley, Adonais -- a poem that has a rock and roll connection as Mick Jagger read it a Brian Jones' funeral. and of course contains the title of one of Smith's LP's and the name of this film..

This might be a film just for serious Patti Smith fans, not sure, since I have been a fan since "Horses" came out, it's hard for me to say if the non-fan would find the film as interesting, since it does tend to ramble.

Hard to believe she's 61... wow.... worth seeing if you are a big fan you will be touched.