Simon Napier-Bell
27 - Gone Too Soon

Not all that glitters is gold. This popular saying came to mind after watching the documentary "27: gone too soon", directed by Simon Napier-Bell and available on Netflix.

This platform usually offers a wide range of quality films, TV series, and documentaries, and the aforementioned title couldn't escape my notice, for the simple reason that it deals with the rock musicians' club who died at the age of only 27. This topic is well known to those who, like me, have long cultivated an interest in the rock genre, along with other musical styles. But, to be honest, what I saw left me totally dissatisfied.

The author of the film (the aforementioned Simon Napier-Bell, who previously worked as a music producer) presents us with a short 70-minute film to provide brief insights into the tragic lives of giants like Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and Amy Winehouse. With a peculiar premise: the list of rock and pop musicians who died at 27 would be around 50 names (the first being the well-known bluesman Robert Johnson who died in 1939).

Why he limited himself to discussing the six musicians mentioned above is not entirely clear; in turn, he claims these individuals essentially died from drug abuse, alcohol, and depression. Added to this are the common issues found during the growing phase in a difficult family environment, with consequent influences on the personalities of the musicians in question. There is certainly some truth in this, but to merely outline such a simplified picture of these six analyzed rockstars is very reductive. Especially when considering that the chapters dedicated to Jones, Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, Cobain, and Winehouse do not exceed the 10-minute mark each. It's simply absurd to exhaust the portrait of such rock giants in such a short time frame. For instance, the film Oliver Stone dedicated to the Doors lasted about two and a half hours and didn't provide an exhaustive portrait of a complex personality like that of Jim Morrison.

Therefore, the message conveyed by "27: gone too soon" is that those rockstars who died at 27 owe their fame to a death announced by their questionable lifestyle. However, the author of the documentary does not give due prominence to the great musical legacy of the aforementioned, which is more appreciable when considering the chaotic life led during their years of activity in an environment where it was easy to consume drugs, even to cope with stress.

Moreover, the idea that the use of certain substances is lethal for everyone doesn't hold up, considering that many musicians have come out unharmed and are still active. Only great misfortune that other rockers didn't make it. They remain a vivid memory, also because their recordings are always on sale and the music business is more flourishing than ever.

Basically, "27: gone too soon" gave me the impression of a bland film, with summary interviews with music critics and some musicians like Lana Del Rey, Gary Numan, who however do not offer any new and particular information on the so-called club of 27 and the dynamics of the facts that concern them. If we then add that the musical commentary of the documentary is very sparse (probably paying royalties for certain tracks is too costly), we have a bleak picture of a proposal below an acceptable minimum level, with consequent disappointment from a rightfully demanding viewer.

Disappointing film to avoid.