(Watched at Film Forum on May 10, 2025)
WARNING: Major Spoilers Below…
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First off, It was incredible to have the opportunity to sit at Film Forum on a Saturday day, and have a private (on one side) row to myself to bask in (most of) the whole flick. The film was an exquisite glimpse at the virtuosities and complications of the most important and influential band in the world ever.
The way the film expertly combined three different tellings of the Pavement story, through the Hollywood film production to the off-Broadway musical Slanted! Enchanted! to the museum permanently dedicated to preserving Pavement history, really gave clarity on what the band went through in those lost, and well-documented, years.
I’ll be Frank. It took me almost the whole movie to realize Joe Keery was even in it. I thought every scene he’d been in was, in fact, Stephen Malkmus himself. The only thing to give it away was when the vocal fry left him for an——almost-unrecognizable——split moment, and I heard pure. Boston. Intonation. Sort of took me out of it, but, I’ll forgive it for now.
I looked into Range Life: A Pavement Story (the Hollywood film being filmed in the film), hoping to find it on a streaming platform, as I must’ve missed the release back in 2023 due to all the “Barbenheimer” hype, but after further Googling, it looks like it’s still in its final editing stage, so, looking forward to that. Which reminds me——a co-production between Alex and Greta and Noah’s team shocked me as I love Gerwig’s work and hadn’t yet heard of her being part of the rockumentary on the biggest band of the 1930s.
**On a serious note, the film got so serious at one point, I was so seriously focused on how Pavement could possibly get out of whatever was going on in, like, ‘95, or something, that I, myself, fell asleep from the serious focus——and absolutely NOT due to me having just gotten off an 8-hour shift. So, warning, it’s an intense watch where you must pay attention to everything as it goes, or you’ll miss the secret message on the 4th “blank” side of their Wowee Zowee vinyl that you must play backwards on your personal Macintosh! (I’m more-than-averagely intelligent, though, so I was able to quickly fill in the blanks upon forced arousal (from my inherited sleep apnea) around the point when the Pavements started selling out.)
Lastly, upon careful consideration, the only thing detracting me from giving the film a full 5/10 stars, is Joe Keery’s presence in it. He completely kills the vibe (Though, I am not part of the Academy, so don’t take this too to heart Mr. Joe “Djo” Keery). I came in for a full extended research deep dive into the makings and breakings of the greatest band of all time ever——and him mocking Stephen——knowing he’s already playing a Steve——MENTIONING IT in the film——a disdainful choice of pride over heart. I hope to see a full ASMRpology video within a week of me publishing this article in Rolling Stone.
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I know the next album’s gonna be a banger.
Rating: Malkmus wouldn’t want me to.
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