At times it almost felt like the editor was going out of their way to tank the movie, because some of the choices were too much, and the jarring cuts between styles and animation and music tracks that would only play for a short while and at inconsistent volumes got exhausting.
BUT: Shane McGowan is so interesting a subject - and the music of The Pogues so damn good - that this remains an engaging and sometimes emotional watch despite sometimes not great editing. Mild spoilers, but the ending scenes were particularly effective.
I loved the brutal, sad honesty of the idea that MacGowan isn't going to give up his heavy drinking, as so many documentaries about addiction end with fake optimism about going clean and getting one's life back on track after the credits start rolling. I don't like it in the sense that it means his health could deteriorate further, but I do appreciate how honest and sad it was, when so many similar documentaries would try to force some hope into the ending.
Also heartbreaking yet beautiful was footage of MacGowan singing with Nick Cave on stage, another legendary musician with a troubled past filled with tragedy and drug addiction who seems to have gotten his life back on track. Cave seems to have kicked his vices, is still recording some of his best music ever (Ghosteen is very good, Skeleton Tree is phenomenal), and to boot, looks about 15-20 years younger than MacGowan despite also being born in 1957.
It's a sad way to end a 2-hour movie, but dammit if it isn't powerful.
BUT: Shane McGowan is so interesting a subject - and the music of The Pogues so damn good - that this remains an engaging and sometimes emotional watch despite sometimes not great editing. Mild spoilers, but the ending scenes were particularly effective.
I loved the brutal, sad honesty of the idea that MacGowan isn't going to give up his heavy drinking, as so many documentaries about addiction end with fake optimism about going clean and getting one's life back on track after the credits start rolling. I don't like it in the sense that it means his health could deteriorate further, but I do appreciate how honest and sad it was, when so many similar documentaries would try to force some hope into the ending.
Also heartbreaking yet beautiful was footage of MacGowan singing with Nick Cave on stage, another legendary musician with a troubled past filled with tragedy and drug addiction who seems to have gotten his life back on track. Cave seems to have kicked his vices, is still recording some of his best music ever (Ghosteen is very good, Skeleton Tree is phenomenal), and to boot, looks about 15-20 years younger than MacGowan despite also being born in 1957.
It's a sad way to end a 2-hour movie, but dammit if it isn't powerful.