About A Son[Rated] [Blu-ray]

I purchased this DVD through Amazon and have only watched it once, so this review is based on one viewing on the small screen, 12 hours after the fact. I had a variety of reactions to the film. Early on, it seemed to drag a bit and I felt like it could have been an audio piece instead of video. I didn't feel like the visuals really added much in the first hour or so of the film.But the format grew on me as the film went on and I was accustomed to it by the end. The effect of seemingly random photographs and video snippets shown to the sound of (usually) one side of a conversation with Kurt Cobain was a kind of disconnect that was probably intentional, but tended to be off-putting at first. If you watch the film on DVD, be sure to watch the extra features, in which Azerrad and Schnack explain the work and some of the choices they made. These featurettes put the film in a better perspective, and made me appreciate what I had seen a bit more.This film is probably best described as a companion to Azerrad's book, and readers of "Come As You Are" will recognize portions of Cobain's words in the film from the book. That being said, "About A Son" does not seem to be something a casual fan would really enjoy - I would only recommend it to Nirvana/Cobain die-hards and completists.The movie seemed to be missing something, and that something was the music of Nirvana. I thought it was a nice touch to include music that Cobain appreciated, but I really feel like it would have been a better and more complete "documentary" with music and performances by (or at the very least, more photos of,) Cobain and Nirvana. I don't know if Schnack et al were unable to obtain the rights to these types of materials for financial or other reasons, but the film really suffered in my opinion for the lack of the very music that was being discussed. It felt incomplete, which again may have been intentional. But if it was intentional, I feel it was the wrong choice - this film needed more Nirvana. I can understand not wanting to have tired, old photographs, performances, and music dominate the film - leave that to "Behind the Music" and its copycats - but leaving that type of material out entirely made the film suffer, in my opinion.All that being said, "About a Son" is a powerful film for fans of Nirvana. It is a warts-and-all look at Kurt Cobain the person (as opposed to Cobain the musician or Cobain the unwilling generation spokesman.) Parts are funny, parts are informative, and parts are just plain sad. It angered me to hear Cobain's rationalizing of his drug problem and it spooked me to hear him discuss his own death (even mentioning blowing his own head off at one point,) in interviews recorded a relatively short time before it happened. For the faults I felt it had, the film was touching and well-made. I am very glad I watched this movie, but I am not sure I need to own it and doubt I will watch it again.

This movie was a moving experience; I took my son to see "About a Son" at an artsy theater in Chicago on his 15th birthday. Knowing we both enjoy Nirvana, I nonetheless braced myself for a grungy "sentimental journey." But then to our rapt enjoyment, this movie turned out NOT to be the typical "between the eyes" rockumentary crammed with repetitively familiar nostalgic imagery and dubbed in with music from the artist. In short this was not a nauseating musical rock video shrine. FYI - you don't see Kurt's or any band member's face. And you don't hear any music from Nirvana - and, you don't need to.Instead, "About a Son" takes you through the Pacific Northwest, tastefully focusing on images that trace the words in Kurt's interview. I was very taken by the seamless "being there" feel of this film, as though the narration was in real-time with what was being shown visually.All-in-all "About a Son" was highly-creative in combining fact with visual interpretation - and in doing so among the best "rockumentaries" I've watched. It is an interpretation of images, selected to match what Kurt was saying. You had a feel for him as a child and teen, his core family and the disintegration of it, for the deprivation he lived through, for the music he listened to, a discussion about babies and bottles, and some saddening foreshadowing of his suicide a year after the interview.Would this movie stand on its own without knowledge and/or a fondness for Kurt Cobain and his music? Actually, I believe it would be interesting in and of itself - even if you had never known of Kurt - or never heard Nirvana's music. It is a warm yet subtle film about an interesting and likeable guy, whose immense creativity and drive sprang from humble and confining surroundings. Kurt would have liked "About a Son" for not being banal and obvious. The power is in its simplicity.I just bought the DVD and I'm anxiously looking forward to another viewing on a smaller screen. Oh - also an interesting soundtrack works wonders without incorporating Nirvana's songs. My son and I waited to listen to Nirvana on the way home.

The previous reviewers are correct to point out that this film does not include any Nirvana music or performances, though there are several still photographs. What it does have going for it is about 90 minutes of Kurt Cobain in conversation with AJ Schnack in preparation for his excellent Nirvana biography: "Come as you are". The recordings are played back over present day footage of Aberdeen, Olympia and Seattle (places where Kurt lived) all in Washington State and some "artistic" material used to illustrate the narrative. It has been edited together in chronological order as Kurt tells his story from childhood and onto the reaction following the release of Nevermind.What you may not gather from the other reviews is quite how moving a film this is, as well as a unique record of Kurt's story. I learnt a lot from watching this. You get inside his head and see things from his perspective and the background footage of Washington does not distract you from what you are hearing. Moreover, some of the snippets of music playing on the soundtrack, which is often contemporary to the story and music known to appeal to Kurt, are excellent, though not all appear on the soundtrack CD  Kurt Cobain: About a Son Museum, which is played over the end credits, is from an album by Mark Lanegan, which Kurt provided backing vocals for and is a very moving song.My only criticism is that I would have appreciated sub-titles. It's not always easy to understand what is being said. Kurt Cobain: About a Son

This was OK as background noise. The lack of structure or narrative made me disengage and start scrolling through my phone whilst it was playing. If you've read 'Come as You Are' then you have heard it all before.

As others have said, this is really poor and offered little insight into Kurt Cobain. Simply a series of taped conversations with Cobain over some fairly random images and music, I came away bored and none the wiser. At one point during the interviews Kurt states that people do not have a right to know everything about him. I wish the film maker had heeded that advice and left these tapes in storage. Remember him for his music not this.

This is not a Nirvana concert or show, incase anyone is wondering. It is basically Kurt speaking out. About his whole life. Various visual images & photos in the background. I was very interested in this DVD. If find it hard to hear or understand then put the subtitles on. Is pretty cheap & i was happy with it. For true fans of Kurt Cobain.

I love his art (music), but Jesus he is depressing to listen to.