Patti Smith: Dream of Life

I had no expectations of this movie. About two minutes into it I got that feeling, you know the one, the feeling that wow, this is going to be a good one. So I settled back and let the film take me with it. It took me into Patti's world through a poetic portal in her self. She is the artist as a real person who touches, loves, nourishes and creates. Patti takes the viewer through her childhood, young adulthood, the Chelsea days, her days of mothering her children and tells of her losses and her rebirth into the world of touring once again. The cinematography combines with Patti's poetry to create scenes of dreams that you don't want to end. Because the film took 11 years to make, her children grow and mature into young talented adults so much like Patti was at their age. It is wonderful to see Sam Shepard playing guitar duets with Patti just off the cuff in her room sitting on a box on the floor after all the years that have come between them. There was still so much feeling between them like they were just kids again. I loved this movie. I loved the fact that it showed such a strong and tender woman who laughs so easily and is still so vital and relevant. The movie is about Patti Smith, so I don't see how people can criticize her for being the center of this universe. Her poetry may last forever.