ReelBob: ‘Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band” is a simultaneously entertaining and frustrating documentary.

Fans of The Band will enjoy the archival footage of performances and Band members, as well as the interviews with friends, family and collaborators.

The movie, though, has a rather narrow focus. It is based on the memoir by Robertson and emphasizes his musical journey from a teenager playing with Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, through his and the then-unnamed band’s time playing with Bob Dylan, to the years recording and on the road as The Band.

The film also goes into the group’s demise, but, again, from Robertson’s perspective.

And because three of the group — Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel — have passed away, only Garth Hudson remains to contradict any of Robertson’s recollections.

Be that as it may, “Once Were Brothers” offers interesting observations about the evolution of Robertson as a songwriter and a musician.

The documentary also is one of those cautionary tales of how success — and the pressures that come with it — can slowly rip apart a tight-knit group of bandmates because of alcohol and drugs.

It’s a sad but familiar story — one that has infected many rock groups through the decades.

The heart of “Once Were Brothers” is Robertson, whose joy for music is infectious. Robertson had to overcome adversity — his parents split — in his childhood. He found an outlet in music as well as camaraderie. He considered his bandmates his family.

Director Daniel Roher places Robertson in a good light, since most of the movie is based on his memoir. And Robertson is frank about his priorities, especially after drugs and specifically, Helm’s heroin addiction, impacted The Band.

Robertson, who grew tired of touring and disenchanted with all the infighting, finally put first his family — his wife, Domininque and their children.

The Band’s last performance was captured by Martin Scorsese in his film, “The Last Waltz.” That features offers a more joyous look at the group and makes a wonderful companion piece to “Once Were Brothers.”

As many of us do as we get older, Robertson tends to romanticize his earlier years — his time with The Band when all were living in Woodstock and recording “the basement tapes” with Dylan, who lived nearby.

Even if “Once Were Brothers” is tilted toward Robertson’s version of events, it, nevertheless, makes compelling viewing.

The film features recollections by Hawkins, Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Peter Gabriel, George Harrison, David Geffen, Van Morrison and others.

The archival performance footage, including scenes of The Band backing Dylan on tour, is significant, especially hearing the audience booing Dylan as a way of showing their displeasure for his perceived selling out, abandoning folk music, going electric and performing more rock-based songs.

“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band” captures a period in which five superb musicians were at the top of the world, performing the music they wanted to make before it all went up in smoke.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

ONCE WERE BROTHERS: ROBBIE ROBERTSON AND THE BAND
3 stars out of 4
(R), language, drug references