Mr. Jimmy (2023)

Mr. Jimmy (2023). 1h 53m

“Greetings again from the darkness. Obsession. Commitment. Dedication. Devotion. Pursuit of perfection. Whatever this is, it goes deeper than imitation. Akio Sakurai has spent thirty-plus years trying to become … well, letu0026#39;s use his quote: u0026quot;I want to be Jimmy Page.u0026quot; Yes, Akio is not paying tribute to his guitar hero, and he zooms past the definition of fanboy. Director Peter Michael David chronicles Akiou0026#39;s dream (over 8 years), and the film left me with conflicting emotions. Should I be in awe of Akiou0026#39;s guitar-playing, or should I be worried about the mental state of someone so focused on being someone else?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAkio tells us it happened when he was about 19 years old. He watched the 1976 documentary, THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME, a concert film showcasing Led Zeppelinu0026#39;s famed 1973 shows at Madison Square Garden. He along with many of us, were enthralled by the band, and especially by their ferocious guitarist, Jimmy Page. But itu0026#39;s only Akio, a resident of Japan, and the son of a Kimono designer, who decided to u0026#39;becomeu0026#39; Jimmy Page.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWe are along for the ride as Akio meets with his costume designer, the technician who creates his pickups, the factory where his guitars are made, and the tuner of his amps. These are steps most guitarists take, but Akiou0026#39;s difference is that everything must exactly match what Jimmy Page used … right down to the vintage amps and painstakingly matching stitching on the infamous Black Dragon suit.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAkio played clubs in Japan for years … matching note for note the way Jimmy Page a particular song in a particular year at a particular concert. It was 2012 when things changed. While on tour in Japan, Jimmy Page (yes, THE Jimmy Page) attended one of Akiou0026#39;s shows and gave him an enthusiastic reception, truly appreciating the attention to craft on display. This u0026#39;dream-likeu0026#39; moment inspired Akiou0026#39;s wife to encourage him to follow his dream to America, specifically California.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFrom this point on, the film follows Akio as he joins a club fand, Led Zepagain. As you can imagine, Akiou0026#39;s obsession over every note played didnu0026#39;t always sit well with bandmembers who just wanted to be a tribute band. We see clips of the band performing, and we go behind the scenes for some uncomfortable debates. Akio continues to hone his Page-ness by obsessing over bootleg recordings of Zeppelin concerts through the years. When the band dissolves, Akio forms another band and books a gig at Hollywoodu0026#39;s iconic Whisky A Go Go (opened in 1964), a standout performance that we see, yet one that cost Akio a great deal of money.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWe are treated to clips from many of Mr. Jimmyu0026#39;s performances, and his guitar skills are obvious. Bouncing back and forth from Japan to the United States allowed him to do what he loved, but we canu0026#39;t help but wonder at what cost. Akiou0026#39;s need to control details and unwillingness to compromise cost him his bandmates. We are told these traits are u0026#39;very Japaneseu0026#39;, so itu0026#39;s excused as a cultural thing We do see Akiou0026#39;s joy at being selected to join Jason Bonhamu0026#39;s (son of the late John Bonham), but we canu0026#39;t help wonder what drives one man to inhabit the style of another for so many years. As impressive as Akio is, itu0026#39;s also kind of sad.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e*Note: the film made the festival circuit in 2019, but only now being distributed.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAbramorama will release the film in theaters beginning September 1st.”