Sound City (Dave Grohl, 2013): USA

Reviewed by Jacob Dekker.  Viewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2013.

At first I was a bit skeptical.

It’s not everyday that a musician directs a film and when one does the film usually doesn’t turn out so well.  So when I heard that Dave Grohl was directing a documentary about the infamous Sound City recording studio I had my doubts.  There is no denying that Dave Grohl and his band The Foo Fighters are a force to be reckoned with in the musical world, but could he bridge the gap from music to movies and deliver an entertaining documentary?

Of course he can.

Mr. Grohl’s debut film as a director focuses on the ups and downs of the Sound City recording studio in Los Angeles, CA faced over the years.  The film boasts a staggering amount of rockstars who, arguably, owe a good portion of their fame to the humble studio.  From Tom Petty to Trent Reznor, as well as some other guest appearances that I wouldn’t dare to spoil, this film has a ton of stars and starlets that keep it edgy and interesting.  The film also features a fantastic soundtrack.  Fans of rock music will definitely be bobbing their heads, tapping their feet, and possibly even singing along to some of these hits.

The main story arc of the film is primarily about the master soundboard that put Sound City Studios on the map and the various bands relationship to the studio and the soundboard.  The artists that are spotlighted in this film are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Rick Springfield, Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, and many more.  The soundboard was used to record many hit albums such as Nevermind by Nirvana, After the Goldrush by Neil Young, Rage Against the Machine’s self titled album, and many others (for a full list go to http://soundcitystudios.net/recordings-by-year).

Sound City’s combination of history, laughs, and music makes this a lot of fun film to watch.  I found the quick edits and energetic cinematography to be one of the films advantages.  It makes the subject material interesting and it demands the viewers attention.  Unfortunately, things started to slow down in the last thirty minutes of the film.  It’s no secret that Dave Grohl is not a fan of ProTools and programs of that nature, but by the end of the film it becomes pretty obvious that this film’s agenda is to tell the world that programs like ProTools can never compare to the old ways of making music.  Whether that is true or not it doesn’t really fit the original vision of the film, and it seems out of place.  However these are small gripes in comparison to how well put together this film is.

Dave Grohl should definitely proud of this achievement.  If you are a fan of this kind of music this film is a must see.  If not, you might want to pass on this one.