Get Back (1991)
* 1/2 (out of 4)
As a smaller fan, I was really letdown by this film not only in the actual film-making aspect but I also felt the concert itself was really disappointing especially after loving the Back in the U.S. disc. Right from the start it appeared McCartney's voice wasn't in the greatest shape but this here didn't sound too bad. Again, it was just disappointing compared to that 2002 tour. The biggest problem I had with McCartney was the performance itself. I'm not sure how this tour was looked at but this film really leads to a boring performance and it appears through the track that the singer really isn't into the thing.
Band on the Run is a personal favorite of mine and it would seem like a good opener but the lack of energy really set a slow pace for the rest of the show. Another favorite from that 2002 tour was The Long and Winding Road, which was full of wonderful emotion yet here it appears McCartney is simply singing by the numbers and it appears he's tired of singing the thing, which is strange since this was his first tour in thirteen years. Other Beatles favorites like Back in the USSR and I Saw Her Standing There don't fare any better.
The concert (and Paul) picks up a bit of steam with Let it Be and Hey Jude but I think these are two songs that not even a drunk could mess up. Throughout the twenty-one tracks these two were the only once that got me moving in the slightest bit. Outside the rather shaky performance, director Richard Lester really doesn't do anyone any favors by cutting up the concert with some of the dumbest footage I've seen in a concert film. The Beatles footage is certainly nice to see but other stuff like the astronauts on the moon is just pointless and really doesn't add anything to the song. For some strange reason Lester seems to think people want to see clips over McCartney.
I was really looking forward to this film but sadly I was left disappointed at each and every turn. I really loved McCartney in concert but this here really left a bad taste in my mouth. Again, I'm not an expert on The Beatles or their solo tours but this was one of the most disappointing concerts I've seen. Perhaps it was just the timeframe this thing was recorded because even my favorite Bob Dylan was going through a bad period during this time. Get Back will certainly be getting back in its case and won't get another play from me.
