The Kids Are Alright (1979)

The Kids Are Alright (1979). 1h 49m | PG

“In some ways this is best the movie ever. Errrm… make that one way. Let me put it this way. If youu0026#39;re as big a fan of The Who as I am, The Kids Are Alright is as alright as movies get. Director Jeff Stein was probably an even bigger Who-fan than yours truly, and you get that vibe from every aspect of the movie: the chosen footage, the editing and the chosen narrative (or lack thereof) chosen. TKAA is a documentary, but unlike documentary-makers fashionable today Stein didnu0026#39;t set out to make his points in a Michael Moore-ish style, with himself as the narrating voice-over and on-screen interviewer. Stein lets the footage speak for itself, only slightly suggesting conclusions that can be made through editing, and only once serving as an off-screen interviewer. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIf there is one point Stein tries to make, it is that the Who were the most interesting/wild/intelligent/contradictory/refined/loony/crude Rock u0026#39;nu0026#39; Roll band in the world. And therefore the most fascinating. He didnu0026#39;t have to turn to the viewer and say that in person: the Who themselves are their own best spokespeople. The Kids Are Alright isnu0026#39;t ABOUT the Who, it IS the Who. The a-chronological editing, live as well as mimed performances and contradictory quotes spanning two decades make a rich collage of fifteen years of Rock u0026#39;nu0026#39; Roll mayhem. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eEditing was Steinu0026#39;s weapon of choice to make TKAA a double-edged sword. People can try to find a deeper meaning in the directoru0026#39;s decisions and/or draw their own conclusions. Or you can just kick back and relax and let it be the ultimate party-DVD. Watching this movie, you really get the sensation of hanging with the Who, addiction, hearing problems, impromptu strip sessions and all. And with Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Pete Townshend around, thereu0026#39;s never a dull moment.”