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The Daily Tar Heel

Wilco Bursts From Stage Onto Silver Screen

"I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"

4 Stars

If moviegoers hesitate to see "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" because they think it's just a simple documentary on a simple topic, it's hard to fault them.

After all, that's what filmmaker Sam Jones thought when he joined innovative Chicago rock group Wilco as it began to record its fourth album -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Jones didn't foresee the laborious recording process, inner band turmoil and two-year struggle with the record industry to release what became one of the most brilliant albums of the year.

Neither did the members of Wilco.

But while the band might wish the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot had been as simple as it first appeared, the drama, tension and ultimate triumph of the album's creation elevates "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" high above the standard documentary.

Simply put, it's a tale of true art trying to survive in an increasingly commercial world, and anyone with an appreciation for either will be captivated.

Many music fans already know the story. The band, a perennial favorite critically but a disappointment commercially, spends a tumultuous year making the greatest album of its career only to have the work rejected by its label.

The group spends another year touring to raise money while searching for a new label to release the album -- which finally came out last April.

Those already familiar with this tale will find the documentary a treasure trove of new insights. Among other things, the film reveals the reasons behind the departure of band member Jay Bennett, along with the sonic evolution of the album's 11 tracks.

But there's plenty here for the filmgoer who can't tell Wilco from Amco.

As a piece of journalism, the film does have some holes -- it would be great to hear from some of the suits who rejected the album -- but as a compelling story, it rivals even the best Hollywood scripts.

Consistently choosing to show rather than tell, the film keeps its cameras focused on the band members and their associates as they go through some of the most trying experiences of their lives.

The result is a full cast of complex characters, and from that group emerges a hero for every starving artist in the 21st century.

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jeff Tweedy has always been recognized as the central figure of Wilco. But by following him everywhere from the stage to the bathroom stall, the film reveals Tweedy's amazing personal strength.

While everyone around him rises and falls under the constant waves of pressure, Tweedy remains stoic to a noble extent, refusing to discuss his personal problems while remaining true to his artistic convictions. Even non-music fans will leave the theater idolizing the man.

Many will also leave wanting a copy of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot -- concession stand managers would be wise to sell it along with popcorn. Once you've seen the astounding circumstances of its creation, the album's place in the history of great musical works is assured.

It now has a great film to match.

The Arts & Entertainment Editor can be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.

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