Searching for Sugar Man (2012) - Malik Bendjelloul

Searching for Sugar Man tells the remarkable true story of Rodriguez, the greatest rock icon, who never was.  Discovered in a dingy bar in Detroit, Rodriguez's music combined soulful melodies with poetic lyrics which two celebrated producers quickly recognized.  Sure of the type of talent they discovered, they released Rodriguez's debut album which completely bombed, leaving Rodriguez alone again, falling into obscurity.  The crazy part of this story centers around how Rodriguez would become a legend in South Africa, fueling a movement of equality in South African and becoming a legend, even though Rodriguez himself is completely unaware to this fact.  Searching for Sugar Man is a heart-warming story about persistence and the power of the human spirit.  A blue-collar man who never had much money, Rodriguez is an inspiration, who never gave up, with a soul which simply wouldn't quit.  The concept alone of a man going from a bit of an outcast to an icon who is more famous than the Rolling Stones or Elvis is just incredible.  The film wisely uses many of Rodriguez's songs throughout the film, serving loosely as the structure of the story, simply emphasizing the poetic nature of this man's music.  I particularly found the anecdote about how Rodriguez would play with his back to the audience in small bars, as if he wanted people simply to focus on the message behind the music.  The film has a lot of interesting themes from the notion that popularity or fame have no correlation with quality (they don't), to how someone's wealth has absolutely nothing to do with the type of person they are, this is a nice documentary that I guarantee will leave anyone who sees it touched. 

8.25/10

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