Paul Mason The music speaks for itself. The purpose of any documentary is to examine what's behind what we've already seen on the surface.What surprises me about the majority of reviews is the negative reaction to learning about Chuck's real personality.This is what makes it a documentary in the first place.I was born in 1964, so technically the Chuck Berry era is before my time; however, the older I get the more I am inclined to learn about the early years of Rock 'n Roll, and how it evolved. These were the years when talent was raw and pure and truly original. One of my favourite music themed movies is still 'American Hot Wax'.These years also traversed the period of segregation to civil rights. It seems most great artists of that period were often born into poverty and grew into fame and wealth. Consequently who are we to judge how many different ways an individual will evolve through these circumstances ?This is actually what I find most interesting of all about this documentary: you learn about the real man, upon which so many rumours are based, and so here we get a chance to see for ourselves. There are a few brief glimpses in the film where it appears that Chuck finally lets his guard down and he retells some of his childhood and past experiences.This era produced some powerful music from heart wrenching beginnings. If they say the blues is formed or driven or inspired by suffering, Chuck Berry's compilations, and his personal make-up are yet another example of how that history manifested itself into pop culture.

Roland1947 I liked this film. Well done and interesting but it could never be complete. Wouldn't play to a caring crowd.It was a long time ago in a bar in Minneapolis called the Cabooze that I saw this fellow that I admired so. His band came in a Grayhound and he came in a limo just 20 minutes from show time(10pm)..warm up band was done and he came into the back room office with two young women that couldn't have been more than 14years old tops, flopped himself down on our couch and tells us that unless we pay an additional $2500 for his services he won't go on the stage. I counted out his money, he played two hours for $5000 and left for the big gig in Chicago. The two young women spent the show in the limo and as far as it goes that was it. All hail rock and roll...deliver me from the days of old...Chuck as great as they were I never spent one dollar for your music OR quit telling this story...told ya one day it would bite you in the ass...and these are my teeth

moonspinner55 Taylor Hackford's documentary chronicling rock music pioneer Chuck Berry and his return to Missouri hometown with a star-laden concert both he and Keith Richards (from the Rolling Stones) put together in St. Louis. The film doesn't probe too deeply into Berry's troubled life (including two trips to jail), but his surly, chipped-shoulder bravado and mercurial personality make for some fascinating sequences. Richards, who organized the event--a 60th birthday celebration for Berry--and plays guitar alongside Chuck, has some tense confrontations with his star and tells of several amusing moments where he nearly gave up on him. Of the concert guests, Eric Clapton, Julian Lennon, and especially Linda Ronstadt are the highlights, but Robert Cray and Etta James are disappointing. **1/2 from ****

bndalton If you hear anything bad about this documentary, stop listening. If you don't smile while watching the concert footage, you don't love rock 'n' roll. Betty is a complicated, intelligent, real human being with all the frailties that includes...but he is a generous showman who personifies rock music. If there was any doubt who the father of rock 'n' roll was, with all due respect to the King, there is none after watching this absorbing, if incomplete, biopic about Chuck Berry. Don't rent it - buy it. Today.