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American: The Bill Hicks Story
2009
(Watched online)
Described as a “photo-animated documentary†American: The Bill Hicks Story follows the short story arc of late comedian Bill Hicks. Using numerous photos and then slightly animating them within the context of the story being told the film comes a little more alive, providing something as unique as Hicks' own take on the world, while the narration comes from those closest to him.
The film starts his story at the crucial meeting of his lifelong friend and one-time comedy partner Dwight Slade. The two become fast friends and quickly realize they both have a love of comedy. Doing “guerrilla skits†in high school, Hicks already has his sites set higher. So when a comedy club finally opens in nearby Houston, TX, they sneak out and start doing stand-up - at 15 years old. From there, as it becomes clear that Hicks' talent and aspirations are going to carry him further, the list of those providing narration grows as his story does. He travels to Los Angeles only to grow despondent and return to Houston. Growing in popularity his act begins to transform, especially once he discovers drugs and alcohol. As his star is starting to peak, though, those demons become too much and he's forced to, again, retreat, this time to New York City. Going sober, though, he's finally able to reach the point he's probably now best known for: As more of a social activist-cum-comedian, wildly popular overseas and still relatively unknown Stateside. And, again, as his star is yet again peaking, he receives the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer that will take his life at 32.
The “moving†photo approach keeps the film moving in a way that deftly avoids the talking heads approach typically seen in such stories. In fact, it's not until the end of the film, when discussing Hicks' final days, that those on-screen voices gain their visuals. It's a nice emotional touch that reconnects to the humanity of the person and those around him and the effect he had on all their lives. Filmmakers Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas also use both amateur and professional-quality footage of Hicks' appearances at various comedy clubs throughout his career as well as his appearances on Carson, Letterman and HBO. Since they were also involved in documenting Hicks' career earlier on they include bits from already-existing documentaries they worked on, Sane Man and his UK show, Revelations. Throwing in some home movies then breaks up the still-photos not only for some visual interest but, also, to clearly show off Hicks as a person and a performer.
The most interesting aspect of American: The Bill Hicks Story is how well-balanced its approach is. Hicks is, still, a controversial comedic figure, but here his development of his worldview is given thorough backing, a way to understand how he saw the world and how he saw comedy's way to express that. His comedy broke barriers not because it was shocking but due to its brutal honesty about society and ourselves. Hicks' unrelenting approach gives him not only appeal but a credibility that's his legacy, a “true comedian's comedian,†an American patriot following his dream even when the landscape around him was scarred by governmental autocracy, corporate greed, and societal apathy. It's a unique story that looks into how such a strong, singular voice can be raised and celebrates it accordingly.
Rating: A
