I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (2002)

First-time filmmaker and award-winning photographer Sam Jones documents the recording of Wilco's album, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot."

Director:

Sam Jones

Stars:

Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Leroy Bach

Cast

Credited cast:
Jeff Tweedy	...	Himself
John Stirratt	...	Himself
Leroy Bach	...	Himself
Glenn Kotche	...	Himself
Jay Bennett	...	Himself
Greg Kot	...	Himself
Tony Margherita	...	Himself
Fred Armisen	...	Himself
Wes Orshoski	...	Himself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Bentley
David Bither
Lin Brehmer
Chris Brickley
Ken Coomer	...	Himself
David Fricke

Storyline

First time director Sam Jones documents the making of Wilco's fourth studio Album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Named after the Wilco song that is featured on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, an album that strays from the Alt-country that made them famous. Jones' desire was to document the creative work of YHF's production, he seems to have found a bit more, including band members departing and a conflict with Reprise record company. This is a true documentry of art versus money-driven media conglomerates.

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Plot Keywords:

record company | musician | songwriter | recording studio | fired from the job | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Wilco the Movie

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 June 2002 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$10,776 (USA) (26 July 2002)

Gross:

$445,521 (USA) (11 July 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bona Fide Productions, Cowboy Pictures, Experience Music Project

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At one point on the DVD director's commentary with Sam Jones and Wilco, during one of the confrontations between Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett, the whole band walks out, leaving Jones to explain the dynamic of their relationships.

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Connections

References Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

User Reviews

a whole lot of wilco

i like wilco. i like jeff tweedy. if you're in the same boat, what are you waiting for? go see this movie. "i am trying to break your heart" features a ton of wilco music--both in studio and in concert--along with a long look into the band's workings. that's the plus on the film--it's a film about wilco. you get to see them in almost every scene, working as a band. there are no fantasy sequences (think "song remains the same") and things come off looking as if they really happened that way. my only complaint with the film is that they didn't offer a look outside of wilco. if warner brothers is the big bad record label portrayed here, then i want to see what their major acts are. who do they bank on to make money for the wb label? also, i wanted the film to look at radio, and why a band like wilco is not played in, say, southern california, where i live.

all in all, it's a good film. it's a microcosmic look into the band, which is enough to keep any fan happy. the makers, though, could have made a much bigger statement about the record industry and the business of music, but i guess that wasn't their focus. i am happy to have spent 9 bucks and driven 45 minutes each way to see the film. go, watch, and listen while it, and wilco, are still around.