by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
The Californian indie band Pavement had quite an impact in the 1990s, which made a lasting impression on artists who are now getting their own chance to shine. When the admirers become the artists, that is when a bold rediscovery for underappreciated predecessors can happen. This is the case for Pavement, and in relation to filmmaker Alex Ross Perry. Music is not new for Perry’s filmography, as his film Her Smell explored the life of a famous rock star whose career goes off the rails due to her self-destructive behavior.
But Pavements is not your standard music documentary in the slightest. Admittedly, Perry bites off way more than he can chew with his bold and dynamic piece. This musically inclined cinematic effort works on multiple different levels. The film is part musical biopic, and part music documentary, the latter of which gives us archive footage and interviews. Over the course of the two-hour film, we learn plenty about Pavement, which I’d guess is new information for most viewers. If you are a fan of the band, those elements might not be the most engaging.
Thankfully, three other aspects of the film add spice to the telling of Pavement’s story. There is casting and recreations for a fake biopic. The likes of Joe Keery, Zoe Lister-Jones, and Jason Schwartzman all appear, and are committed to this experimental indie experience. The casting choices are excellent, and Perry finds engaging ways to explore the band members’ experiences through these pseudo-biographical narratives. Then Perry weaves in parts of the Pavement’s musical Slanted! Enchanted! A Pavement Musical. This show seems like an energetic and fun experience, but the audience of Pavements is only treated to fleeting segments of it. They are leveraged (again) to reinforce the thematic experiences of the band. The most effective inclusion to this concoction are the concert film elements. The performances are full of energy, and really hit the spot when you get bogged down in the film’s muddled threads film. If you are trying to capture the essence of a band through a documentary, their actual musical performances go a long way in building connection.
But the big, lingering question is this… does this all work? That is hard to say. Perry crafted something worth admiring. Few filmmakers have created such a unique perspective on a documentary music biopic like this. Audiences have seen countless documentaries that are just talking heads in interviews that are more informative than anything else. But Perry is just over leveraged here. These three additional cinematic elements do not get enough space to thrive and deliver true impact. One of them would have been enough to liven up the film, and offer the audience something different, while helping them explore the works and legacy of Pavement. Instead, we are left wanting more of this fun stage musical or their concert performances. The meta-biopic gets the most love, but it is still muddled by the presence of the rest.
From the boldness of filmmaking, Pavements is a wonder to experience. Perry has quite a vision, and you can feel the passion behind this art. But if you are legitimately trying to learn more about Pavement, it might be a tad too much to process.
Rating: It Was Just Okay
Pavements is currently playing in theaters
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd