Alan Rapp

More of a concert film than a documentary Neil Young: Heart of Gold captures Neil Young giving a two night performance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium just days before he goes in for surgery.  The music is of course great and the sound quality is excellent but I would have liked more of a behind the scenes look with interviews and reminiscing with Neil and his friends.  All that said fans of good music will want to check it out.

Neil Young: Heart of Gold
3 & 1/2 Stars

Neil Young: Heart of Gold takes a look at Neil Young’s two night performance with friends in Nashville.  Young manages to put on one hell of a show (I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better quality sound on a concert film) and I was smiling ear to ear when he broke into “Old Man.”  I would have preferred a litle more documentary mixed in to the music but what we do get is quite good.  (click the poster to see the trailer)

The film starts with Neil Young’s friends showing up in Nashville and being driven to the Ryman Auditorium.  We get glimpses and short stories from the performers including Ben Keith, Spooner Oldham, Rick Rosas, and Emmylou Harris telling the story of how the performance was put together on their rides to the auditorium.  Also joining in are Karl Himmel, Chad Cromwell, Wayne Jackson, Grant Boatwright, Larry Crag, and Neil’s wife Pegi Young.  Young had just months before learned of his brain aneurysm and at the time of the performance was just days away from going into surgery.  That gives the film added meaning and relevance knowing Young may have believed on some level that this would be his last performance. 

After the short documentary footage (all together probably only ten minutes worth) the movie launches into the concert.  Young performs many songs from his latest album “Prairie Wind” along with mixing in classics such as “Harvest Moon” and “Old Man.”  His performance of “Old Man” is particularly memorable because its one of the few songs he stops to tell a story about where the song came from.  Young also gives a short tale before his performance of “This Old Guitar” talking about the guitar he is using which once was owned by Hank Williams.  Such moments are hidden nuggets between the music and I just wish there were more of them.

Despite his age and the weight of his health problems Young gives a tremendous performance.  I give huge credit for Demme in capturing a legendary performer still at the top of his game on an incredibly emotional night.  Demme’s choices are all the right ones as he manages to capture the feel and emotion of the night as well as the sound.

I’m not a huge fan of concerts or concert films for that matter, but it’s a damn fine deal to get to hear Neil Young for the price of movie ticket in seats better than any you could get at an actual concert.  Still for most people I think it will make a better DVD than movie experience and you can enjoy the music in the background without being stuck in a theater seat for an hour and forty minutes.  If the film had gone for more of a documentary style as the early interviews I would have given it a higher rating as they some of the best parts of the movie.  Still for Neil fans you get what you want just nothing more.