Milinda's Question "Are You Happy Now?"

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Fantastic Band; Mediocore Documentary, March 31, 2011

First of all, I should confess that I have been a DBT fan for over 10 years. This is somewhat depressing to admit, because it means I’m getting old.

This film was most interesting to me because of the subject: DBT. You can’t go wrong here if even if you only have a passing interest in rock and alt-country music.

As far as music documentaries go, this film has its flaws. Its not terribly original, or original at all really. It follows a tried, chronological music-mentary formula. It has annoying cliche moments, like various people talking about how “special” the band and protracted shots through a rainy car window of “the South.” Worst of all, there are recurring interviews with an obnoxious American Studies professor from Temple University (yes, Temple) who talks about how “great and political” the band is. The American Studies professor is very hard to sit through, I’ll admit.

All that said, the subject of the band carries the film: Hood, Cooley and Isbell especially. An added bonus is some interviews with the artist Wes Freed, who I adore. Now, to be fair, I’ll confess that I have always found Patterson Hood to be a bit obnoxious and annoying. This film confirmed that for me, but it also reaffirmed Patterson’s considerable appeal as a frontman. Patterson is that now turned-man hyper-active chubby kid who continues to be overly critical about everything around him and driven by a desire to be seen as smarter than other people. Still, Patterson seems to have a good heart so I don’t hold his considerable self esteem much against him. My attitude towards him is like what you may have towards some friends you grew up with. You see their flaws, but still appreciate them for who they are. I certainly think DBT would never have existed without Patterson and his overly wordy/crafted songs and his boundless ambition/ego. Kudos to him.

Cooley is an enigma. This film does not change that status, at all. Like always, Patterson hogs most of the camera time but you have to suspect, that is the way Cooley prefers it. I really consider Cooley to be one of the great songwriters and musicians of our generation. “Love Like This,” “Panties in Your Purse,” “Space City,” “Birthday Boy” and, of course, “Women Without Whiskey” are all timeless American classics. Whenever a new DBT album comes out, I admit, I skip to the Cooley songs and listen to them first. The guy is a master. Genius.

This film is most interesting because it provides a flashback to when Jason Isbell was in the band. Isbell, who is much younger than Cooley and Hood, is an incredible talent. You will probably hear alot about how this film documents the breakup of DBT and Isbell, but that is not true. Its largely absent from the majority of the film and only discussed towards the end. You never get a real answer why he was kicked out either. There is no footage of fights or differences or any such things a la Wilco, only occasional narratorial heresay to that effect. With that in mind though, it is still great to see footage of DBT when Isbell was with the band. Say what you will about DBT post-Isbell, I like many folks, still believe that their two best albums were “Decoration Day” and “The Dirty South.” Isbell played a huge role in both those records and penned arguably the two best DBT songs, “Outfit” and “God Damned Lonely Love.” “God Damned Lonely Love” is just about the perfect song, in my opinion.

So, to conclude, don’t think I’m a hater. I still buy all the DBT and Jason Isbell records. I even bought and enjoyed DBT’s recent collaboration with Bettye Lavette and Booker T (the Booker T collaboration, by the way, is fantastic). I really enjoyed watching this film, in short, because I’m a fan. I think fans will get a major kick out of it. Casual listeners and music appreciators may have a passing interest. The documentary crowd, you’ll find issues with it, but hey, I think Patterson would appreciate that critical gaze. ha. Enjoy.