The Stones and Brian Jones

They ignore what a true monster this guy is. Not bad footage but irresponsible journalism to imply that Anita brought the violence on herself, that she left brain out of some gold digging and not because he viciously attacked her. Not a documentary but some puff piece.

This is what I want from docs like this about musicians. I want bandmates, actual friends, family, studio folk who were part of their life. I generally dislike those w/ rando journalists, audiophile fans, non-band members who weren't really close to the person/band, and stale critics rambling on. Lotta video content from Jones' life I'd never seen. Does a strong job of showing the progression of Jones from r 'n' b blues guy needing to put together a band, to Jones at his heartiest as the band exploded around the world and his life was a feast of pleasure and attention, then finally to the crumbling figure w/ a consistent diet of drug abuse and self-sabotage. Interviews w/ band members and love/sex interests are fairly enlightening. Some very much cutting through any mythology of Jones or the band to the root of the problems and Jones' darker side of his personality. But man, they made some damn fine rock n' roll w/ Jones, too. 3.4 stars

This movingly documented tragedy explains so much to me about this important band from way before my time.

Lots of great unseen footage and the interview segments with Bill Wyman were fantastic. I understand the need to display Brian's descent into drugs and poor behavior choices, but there was still more of his musical contributions that could have been explored over some of the more focus on the salacious side of Brian and the Stones and their girlfriends. However the movie is still an informative viewing and spotlights Brian's importance to the band. His contributions are still missed.

One of Broomfield's best. A brilliant portrait of a troubled artist struggling in the shadow of Jagger and Richards. Some incredible archive footage too.

It told so much about Brian that I did not know before. Every fan of The Rolling Stones will love this part of the history of the founder of the band.

Great footage, especially of Brian and Anita Pallenberg. But Jones still comes across as unknowable, as he has always been. It's too bad there weren't more old interviews with Jones. People talked about how difficult he could be but he ends up being a silent cipher. It made me want to know more about his childhood. Did he have brothers and sisters? The movie skidded along but just scratched the surface. The best parts were when Bill Wyman played some Stones' songs and highlighted Brian's musical contributions in them. Bill did seem to be the one Stone who genuinely cared about Brian.