Shine a Light

A concert film with which the Stones – supported behind the scenes by the agile director, who happens to be their peer – will definitely win you over, regardless of what you think about them. The show belongs solely to the quartet (and a few guests) on the stage. We are spared any shots of the audience and the off-stage atmosphere is not in any way determinative (as it was in the case of Woodstock, for example). The night belongs to the Rolling Stones, to whom Scorsese expresses thanks by bringing them into his cinematic universe among other immortal heroes through an admittedly “synthetic” prologue and epilogue. Two hours of Jagger’s hyperactive showing off, still just as lively as Scorsese’s films, will give you more energy than any number of hours of bellowing by many a whippersnapper two generations younger. With just a little exaggeration, we can also view this high-octane record of two concerts, edited together with precision in line with the rhythm of the music, as a bold celebration of active old age. 85% (08/23/2012)

Where do you stand? 1) Do you love the Stones and know their songs by heart? If so, there's nothing to worry about - this two-hour show will be your ticket to rock and roll paradise.__2) Do you know two or three songs by the Rolling Stones and want to see what their show is like? No problem, go ahead and watch Shine a Light.__3) You don't care about The Rolling Stones and you're just wondering what the hell Scorsese made? You better slow down a little bit, then. This film is mainly about the band and their concert. Don't expect a No Direction Home-style documentary that tells you more than the first paragraph of the Wikipedia entry. You only get to enjoy Scorsese (as a personality) in the opening quarter hour, which is great though - the nerves over the playlist are especially good. The rest is "just" about Marty's flawless and superbly playful recording of the concert, interspersed here and there with archival documentaries.__I belong to the first category and I was in seventh heaven. Five stars. (08/29/2010)