Summer of Soul is a love story to an event that defined the shared sense of passion, respect, and talent within the Black community of New York. The music is exceptionally good. The vibes of this crowd range from general enthusiasm to down right apoplectic with the type of icons and talent involved. It’s one of those docs that unearths a piece of essential history, and even if some of the filmmaking misses the mark in telling a full bodied story, the introduction to the history wins one over. It’s a damn shame this event hasn’t been more readily discussed in public considering every performance was noteworthy.
As for the craft, I didn’t get a great sense for the mood among the people with the cutaway interviews. I gather a shared compassion, but it’s mainly attendees caught in sheer amazement of the event itself, rather than anecdotal stories. The interviews are definitely invaluable to retelling this story, but the questions don’t dig deep enough into the day itself. Regardless, the music itself is worth it and the performances
Rating
★★★/ Out of 5★s (79)
(82-75-75-80-87-98-88-88-90: 85.1)
Loved this movie. Can’t get enough Sly and the Family Stone.
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