Out of Competition review - JANIS by Amy Berg

A woman left lonely who got soon tired of waiting. AMY BERG's documentary JANIS premiered out of competition at the 72nd VENICE FILM FESTIVAL.

For those who may not know it, JANIS JOPLIN is simply one of the most iconic and best figures of the wild psychedelic rock and roll scene of the sixties, as well as one of its key figures. She rose to fame first as the lead singer of the band BIG BROTHER AND THE HOLDING COMPANY and then as a solo artist, and her amazing vocals, incindiary discography and unique personality have granted her a forever spot among the rock and roll greats. 

AMY BERG, on the other hand, is an excellent documentary filmmaker whose investigative documentaries have won worldwide acclaim. Among her best, feature WEST OF MEMPHIS about the West Memphis 3 and the Catholic Church child abuse scandal expose DELIVER US FROM EVIL. 

Her latest work, JANIS tells the story of the iconic lady of rock and roll from her childhood to the peak of her career as well as her tragic, sudden and premature death by drug overdose at the young age of 27. Incidentally, it comes hot off the trails of the worldwide success of AMY by ASIF KAPADIA, and while it would be far too easy and unfair to compare the two works, it is a worrying fact that both artists died far before their times, both having similar psychological pains and issues and both seeking refuge from them in their music.

JOPLIN here is portrayed as rebellious, but also sunny, determined, ambitious and very creative. But AMY BERG allows her most personal side to come through, and with it her vulnerabilities. Not only her troubles with "come down" time, from rehearsals, concerts and album recordings or time on the road unaided by her inability to find a strong, stable and loyal partner, but also her deep insecurities with her looks. The latter is also significant, as it touches strong feminist themes as well as the tender issue of bullying. 

The life of the singer is brought to the screen quite well, at a good pace and painting quite a complete picture. Aside from the great songs from JOPLIN's career, that are given plenty of room and expectedly add great energy and excitement to the human side of the tale. On top of that, the film is widely composed of archive footage, with plenty of behind the scenes amateur shots, some of which are seen here for the first time and edited together very skillfully. 

But there are also some contributions from people who knew her well - her sister, members of her band, the ever DICK CAVETT, her last big love and even a comment from KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, who of course penned what is perhaps her best known song ME AND BOBBY MCGEE. 

JANIS is solid, music, biographical documentary. Its ambition is not to be groundbreaking or trendsetting, but its warmth and admiration for its subject as well as its careful handling of emotions makes this a must watch for all fans of JOPLIN's and for the music and culture of her times.