Phil Lynott was a black Irish rock star at a time when this was a decidedly unlikely thing to be, who sadly died young after developing an addication to drugs. At the start of this documentary, his family express their wish for a film that celebrates his life, rather than glamourising his death. And 'Songs for While I'm Away' does that, albeit at the price of becoming something of a hagiography. We're told about Lynott's talent, charisma and (away from the stage) shyness. But just about everything that went wrong (the breakup of his various band lineups and relationships, and his eventual dependency on heroin) is glossed over. Things happened, we're told, with an air of inevitability; but how they did so is not covered in any detail. The result is an imbalanced portrait, which makes it hard to understand exactly why he was one of those who didn't make it in the end. A bit more frankness would not have gone amiss.
Songs for While I'm Away
2020
Action / Biography / Documentary / Music
Songs for While I'm Away
2020
Action / Biography / Documentary / Music
Plot summary
A feature documentary on the life and music of Phil Lynott, telling the story of how a young black boy from working class 1950s Dublin became Ireland’s greatest Rock Star. As lead singer of Thin Lizzy, Phil Lynott was a songwriter, a poet, a dreamer, a wild man. Told extensively through the words of Lynott himself and focusing on some of his iconic songs, the film gets to the heart of Philip, the father, the husband, the friend, the son, the rock icon, the poet and the dreamer.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
July 18, 2022 at 04:18 AM
Director
Tech specs
720p.BLU 1080p.BLUMovie Reviews
Pulls its punches
Not a moment too soon
I confess that this pretty nearly had me in tears. I've always been a massive fan of Phil and the band.
It's a very well put together documentary with plenty of music and interesting interviews from those who were around him whilst he was alive. Some of the extra imagery was very professionally produced. The pace is perfect throughout.. So many thanks to the producers.
It didn't go into his drug addiction in much detail or mention some of his conflicts with people but hey. Why dwell on the darker things in his life? This is a celebration of a truly great man.
Gorgeous
Look there's maybe an argument that she welched out a little on the drugs story.
But.
This is an amazing Philo tribute, stylishly and artistically put together with so much of the coolest bash street character himself menacing and prancing and pulling in the light.
Another thing I loved.. You actually get to hear quite a few songs.. Some music documentaries try to do snippets and a lot of taking heads.
(the talking heads are great here too and well spaced and edited.. It appears there is one cool one in U2 who knew? Scott Gorham should have his own show he was cool as)
Beautifully and artfully presented if a little too much of a hagiography perhaps.. But then he was something else
First time back in a cinema and it was a good one to soak in.