Pearl Jam Twenty

My brother is nine years older than I. Maybe, it was because he just liked me, or maybe it was because I was the baby. I don't know why he would sometimes take me to the movies with him when I was little. When I was about ten years old, he took me to see a re-release of 101 Dalmatians at the movies. After, he made me sneak in to see The Naked Gun: 2 and 1/2. I was so panicked about sneaking into the movie that I made my brother leave with me. I have to admit that sneaking in was a rush.

It was kind of fitting, then, that it took twenty years for my brother and I to go anywhere just with each other to see a movie about a band that managed to stay together for twenty years. Going to the movies with my brother after twenty years of never doing so--meaning there was no family or friends to cushion the company--made me think about how much a band like Pearl Jam must have really decided to stick by and with each other through life. That kind of commitment is not always easy.

Pearl Jam Twenty is written and directed by Cameron Crowe. (You may remember that he put Eddie Vedder as a cameo in his love story to Seattle movie, called Singles.) Crowe reminds the audience that he used to be a rock writer, and, frankly, the movie unfolds like The Rolling Stone Interview. Have you read the featured interview lately in The Rolling Stone? The interviewers must give their subjects truth serum because I've never read any other interviews like the Feature. The subjects reveal so much about themselves that they--most of the time--end up looking kind of like jerks. PJ20 is comprised of clips of rarely-seen or never-before-seen footage of the members of Pearl Jam. Crowe reveals it all, too. He really holds nothing back--even interviews where Eddie can be a little volatile toward the camera.

The members (and friends) of Pearl Jam have something going for them that most of the subjects of The Rolling Stone Interview only wish they had: they are good. They are all good, decent, nice, artistic guys that love what they do and love who they do it with. Really, we should all be so lucky. These guys--after all the stardom, boycotting of Ticketmaster, and the political agendas--are really deserving of the peace and happiness that comes with playing in a band and being proud of the work they achieve.

Just to be clear, I have loved Eddie Vedder from the moment I heard "Better Man." (Of course, it's a bit disconcerting that Ed and I are the same height--5'7"1/2--and that he dates and marries models. But, when you write, sing, perform, and look like him, I tend to forgive a lot.) A nice surprise in PJ20 was the opportunity to learn about the other band members. They are just as devoted to art and in love with fans and performing and each other as Eddie. Also, it is just incredibly refreshing to learn about a really successful band that has not had issues with drugs and alcohol.

PJ20 was shown in theaters in limited release, and most of the audience members were die-hard Pearl Jam fans. It is a bit long at times, especially with the recent interviews. But, it was definitely interesting to see clips of songs being written. And, the concert footage gave me goosebumps. Sometimes, a band or a rock star comes along, and I understand what all the fuss is about. Eddie and the rest of Pearl Jam really do hold a certain charm that is simply innate and stunning. The audience ended up clapping at the end. I liked the movie; my brother liked the movie. I just didn't want to clap. Somehow, doing so felt inauthentic. After spending a couple of hours with a band like Pearl Jam, I just had to be myself.