Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Julien Temple

Release Date:

18 May 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

A celebration of Joe Strummer - Before, during and after The Clash

Plot:

As the front man of the Clash from 1977 onwards, Joe Strummer changed people's lives forever. Four years after his death...

Plot Keywords:

Clash | London Underground | Black And White Segment In Color Film | Rock Star | England

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Brigitte Bardot	...	Herself (archive footage)
Bono	...	Himself
Steve Buscemi	...	Himself
Terry Chimes	...	Himself
John Cooper Clarke	...	Himself
John Cusack	...	Himself
Peter Cushing	...	Winston Smith (archive footage)
Johnny Depp	...	Himself
Matt Dillon	...	Himself
Tymon Dogg	...	Himself
Joe Ely	...	Himself
Dick Evans	...	Himself
Flea	...	Himself
Alasdair Gillis	...	Himself
Ian Gillis	...	Himself
Topper Headon	...	Himself
Mick Jagger	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jim Jarmusch	...	Himself
Mick Jones	...	Himself
Steve Jones	...	Himself
Anthony Kiedis	...	Himself
Don Letts	...	Himself
Bernie Rhodes	...	Himself
David Lee Roth	...	Himself (archive footage)
Joe Strummer	...	Himself (archive footage)

Also Known As:

Strummer (International: English title) (informal short title)
Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (Australia) (poster title)

Runtime:

USA:123 min (Sundance Film Festival) | UK:124 min

Country:

Ireland | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Finland:K-11 | USA:Unrated | Japan:PG-12

Company:

Parallel Film Productions

Movie Connections:

Features "South Park: Chef Aid (#2.14)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Minuet

A massive disappointment

I absolutely love The Clash and, because I liked Temple's film about the Sex Pistols, I had high hopes for this. Like many other people, I found the campfire interviews completely unsatisfying, especially since none of the subjects are identified at all. We hear very little from Mick Jones and not all from Paul Simonon. On the other hand, we are treated to John Cusack and a pirate-costumed Johnny Depp. Matt Dillon shares a fascinating anecdote in which he recounts something a taxi driver once told him about Joe Strummer, and Anthony Kiedis tells us that Joe hired someone who used to drum for him. Gosh! If any of these people knew Joe in a meaningful way, they don't make that clear on screen. Why Bono and not Billy Bragg talking about Joe's political effect on his own music? Perhaps Julien Temple is hopelessly starstruck. The film's only redeeming features were the home movies, photographs, live performances and excerpts from Joe's BBC radio show.

This film is not worthy of the man who inspired it. I will keep my fingers crossed that another filmmaker, one who favours substance over style, will some day make the definitive Joe Strummer documentary.