Color Me Obsessed: A Film About the Replacements (2011) User Reviews

Irreplaceable

[anarchistgirlscout · 8/10 · 27 March 2011]

What else can you say about The Replacements - a band that has been broken up for nearly two decades - that hasn't already been said? Apparently, not much. The entire length of this film is one big succession of fans (both famous and not) geeking out over the relative genius of each of members of the band and, of course, the madness that equaled and collective. Strangely, though, this proves to be more than enough. The tidbits of information that die-hard fans aren't already well aware of are few and far between, but the story-telling is spot-on and will keep you at attention the length of the film. Every one of the subjects interviewed is clearly enjoying talking about their favorite band as much as the audience is enjoying listening to them talk about their favorite band. There's realism and simplicity to the craft used that makes the headiest moments come off as relatable, not contrived or, worse, pretentious. In a world of constant false-reality T.V., this is no easy feat. It is particularly impressive because there is no music in the movie, no interviews with surviving band members . . . there are not even that many pictures of the band shown. The director claims that he wanted to treat this differently, and compared his choice not to show The Replacements during the film was much akin to the way God is always talked about in films but never shown. To quote him, "I don't believe in God, but I believe in The Replacements." That may or may not be true, but it adds to a collection of good stories centered around The Replacements none-the-less. It's a collection of stories worth telling.

Interesting, Unusual Approach, But Not Essential

[crossbow0106 · 7/10 · 6 October 2013]

Depending on how much you like the Replacements will be how much you like this documentary. First off, two things you need to know: None of the Replacements are interviewed, and there is no footage of them. You have various people, most you've never seen before but do have credibility in telling this story, which is done chronologically. If you have seen them live (I have four times-twice riveting, twice not so), you just never knew what you were going to get. If they were sober and interested, they were one of the greatest bands that ever existed. If they were drunk and doing mostly covers, you'd hate to have brought someone to the show and told them beforehand they were amazing. This film embodies this, and some of the comments are very affecting. The people who speak that are known, including Grant Hart and Greg Norton of Husker Du (that would make an interesting documentary), manage to tell their stories and they are mostly articulate and wonderful. Think of the film this way: Lets say a documentary of your favorite band was being made and they asked you to comment. There is gushing, some dismissive anecdotes. If you're a casual fan, you won't get it. If you are a real fan, this will be very watchable. I would have liked to see Paul, Tommy or Chris speak, but you can't have everything. Last thought: Does this film make you want to buy or listen to them? The answer is yes. In that alone, this film succeeds.

Must see for fans, but disappointed

[zinovy09 · 6/10 · 5 May 2011]

I saw the screening last night in Minneapolis. As a fan who considers the Replacements one of the best bands of all time and who considers Paul Westerberg the 2nd greatest songwriter of all time, behind Bob Dylan, I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the film. I went into the film knowing that I would not see any members of the band or hear any of their music. My problem lied in the directors' editorial choices on who tells a story. I thought some folks, who weren't that interesting to begin with (the nervous nellie writer, who grew up on a farm)got too much time, while others very little. I also knew that some people wouldn't participate, particularly people close to the band, but the director seemed to have left out many well-known 'Mats fans. In some cases, only used "article quotes" instead of having the actual person tell their story (Jeff Tweedy, Patterson Hood, etc.) Additionally, with the exception of local dj, Mark Wheat, the director didn't attempt to interview anyone from the UK. Although the Replacements never were huge in the UK during their time, they have gained legendary status throughout the world and I would have appreciated a larger scope. Yes. Any Replacements' fan should see this film, just don't expect it to be one of the better rock docs you'll ever see. Hopefully, one day a proper documentary with participation from the band and including the music will come out. Speaking of the music, I found it extremely frustrating to hear people talk about the importance and personal meaning of certain songs and not being able to hear it. I know that was the directors choice, but I still found it extremely frustrating. There were certainly great moments and interesting stories told, but I believe a lot of fat could be trimmed and unfortunately,left out some important people, who I'm pretty sure wouldn't have turned down the offer to have been interviewed.

Well made but a bit disappointed with lack of archive footage

[stugatzo · 6/10 · 18 June 2011]

Gorman Bechard puts his self-confessed passion for the 'Mats through the paces with this linear and thorough doc. Filled with revealing interviews about much of the lore surrounding one of the greatest American rock bands, and one that had an undeniable impact on what we perceive as modern or alt-rock today, Color... is Bechard's rock and roll love letter to a band that has still not gotten its due. It spends a good two hours recounting the glory days of the Minneapolis scene of the early 1980s through clips with fans, other bands and even minor celebrities who "were there when" or just flat out believe Westerberg and Co. were all that defines rock and roll. Bechard's decision to not include music, archival footage or even attempt to obtain either of those, though, is curious and ultimately disappointing. Sure fans of the band will love the insights and appreciate the info offered on some of the 'Mats lore. But they might also find themselves yearning for some kind of gems. I think, for instance, of the Rush doc, Beyond the Lighted Stage, I'm a huge Rush fan yet the film gave me info I never knew but also dug up footage and music never before seen or heard. That's what a rock-doc should do. Yes it's good to be inspired to "go out and discover (or re-discover) your fave bands, but frankly i don't have access to the dozens of people in the Replacements' lives who would be in possession of the material that would further my love of the band. Fans like to think they are know-it-alls when it comes to the bands they love. It is the duty of a doc-maker to prove we are not...that they are able to show us more about the band than we knew. Color... does that through its interviews, to be sure. But I also felt a little cheated. And you might too.

Unsatisfied

[Striy · 6/10 · 3 December 2011]

The Mats are a band very worthy of a documentary. They were a truly great 80's band. A very important band that really broke a few barriers and defied being pigeonholed very easily. This film isn't bad in telling the bands story thru the eyes of the fans and contemporaries. I have to say that a lot of what was said was by people who are HUGE fans already just basically repeating the same stuff over and over again. There are many artists one can find, that have meant a lot to people at a certain time and place and make a similar documentary. Also, many of these have already been made. I have to say that attempting to make a documentary about a band with out the music is basically a very difficult task. You really want that music there to compliment the constant barrage of talking heads. The director states that he wanted to make a ground breaking doc. and break away from the mold and make a doc. with no band and no music in the film. However like I already said, this very similar film has been made many times about other important and great bands, the only difference being is that the others actually HAD music and are way more fun to watch. In no way do I buy that this was somehow unique or different. The concept of fans and contemporaries telling a story about a band is not very groundbreaking. In the end I feel only people who are already huge Replacements fans will truly appreciate this film. It may interest some others but it will be a much harder sell. I am still very glad this film was made. That whole era in American music deserves many more documentaries and this one is an important addition.

Author of my favorite book makes a film about my favorite band

[SoSickOfTheRain · 10/10 · 29 March 2011]

I'll say this right off the bat, I think "The 2nd Greatest Story Ever Told", the first novel by Gorman Bechard, is probably the best book I've ever read. It's about God sending his 18 year old daughter to save us. Of course, she's a Mats fan.

So, it's 20 years later, and Mr. Bechard delivers us a documentary on who I believe to be the greatest rock band ever, The Replacements. And, as he said at the Tampa premiere (and if you read the novel, you'll believe him), he might not believe in God, but he does believe in the Mats. AND IT SHOWS! And while everyone else will recount here how it's great to hear all the stories and such (I do love Robert, the guy from the farm, and Bil MacLeslie is a hot older guy I could listen to for days!), I want to talk instead about the filmmaking.

It's a music documentary, people...WITHOUT ANY MUSIC! As the bumper-sticker for the film says, "Kinda brilliant. Kinda dumb".

In this case its 110% BRILLIANT! Mr. Bechard makes it work. That's filmmaking! In fact, aside from recommending this movie to Mats fan and indie rock fans, I strongly urge fans of independent cinema to see this film. Forget it being a music doc, forget it being about the Mats, it's plain and simple a great movie. It's about passion, it's about how art changes your life, it's about how a band becomes a part of your family, how their music is forever etched on your soul. PASSION! It will also teach you things about success and insecurity, and about how a small band from the Midwest changed the face and sound of rock music forever. (Really, I thought knew a lot about The Mats until seeing this film. They story about how "Tim" was named is hysterical!) Put aside any misgivings you might have about there being no music (really, it's not missed), and give two hours to a great filmmaker who will take you to a place you've never been before. It's brave. It's beautiful. It's unique and funny.

To paraphrase someone in the movie talking about their song "Hayday", I love this movie. I love this movie. I. Love. This. Movie.

Awesome!!

[slothrec · 28 July 2011]

An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!An amazing Documentary, shot in a very unique way, about an amazing band!! Highly Recommended!!!

There's No Mass Appeal

[Twins65 · 7/10 · 12 November 2013]

Way, way "Behind the Music"---no band interviews or music here...

This one's for fans only. We keep getting updates throughout the doc. on how many actual "fans" they had during their 1980's run (based on actual album sales), and it was always a small (BUT EXTREMELY LOYAL) bunch.

So loyal that their fans are still buzzing about them 20+ years after they packed it in. And yet I'm guessing 97% of America's music "consumers" still have never heard of 'em. And I'm also guessing that's why their fans are still buzzing about 'em, as they'll always have a great band to love all to themselves.

I'm not going to review much more of this in-depth, as there are plenty of reviews already posted for you to peruse. I'm just going to reprint the lyrics to "Treatment Bound" (slightly modified to pass IMDb standards), because it sums up EVERYTHING about this band in three minutes and sixteen seconds:

We're getting' no place fast as we can Get a nose-full from our so-called friends We're getting' nowhere quick as we know how We whirl from town to town treatment bound First thing we do when we finally pull up Get sh*t-face drunk try to sober up There'll be no pose tonight no money in sight Label wants a hit and we don't give a sh*t 'cause where getting' no place as fast as we can We get a nose-full from our so-called friends We're getting' nowhere quick as we know how We whirl from town to town Duluth to Madison Treatment bound Getting' nowhere (keep going') Second thing we do is walk around Go to the job or try to hold one down There's no mass appeal Carton's asleep at the wheel Yesterday's trash too bored to thrash We're getting' nowhere fast as we can We got a nose-full of them so-called friends We're getting no place as quick as we know how We're getting' nowhere what will we do now? Take it, Scotty Tommy: one of the chords at that one part you just f*cked it up Paul: f*cked 'em up

Possibly True Review

[mike-ogle · 9/10 · 28 March 2011]

Every fan's dream: the chance to be told that you were right, the band you loved really was the most important band ever. I love the Replacements, and this movie reminded me why. The film does so without the music or the band, which at first put me off. Then I realized that this was less about the Replacements and more about what it meant to be a fan. There are plenty of humorous/insightful/touching details that are specific to the Mats, but the interviews could as easily have been discussing Mission to Burma, Skin Yard, or the Descendents. It was fascinating to see the wide variety of stars and civilians who felt so passionately about this one group. For all of us who thought that we were the only one who "really got it', it was shocking to see the kid from the Gaslight Anthem or George Wendt singing their praises. Most likely those of you who see this will be from the fan side, and I dare you to walk out without telling whomever is with you how many times you saw them live. You will also leave with a pleasant reminder of what it means to be a fan.

Color Me Digressed

[julianwest74 · 6/10 · 22 September 2018]

Let me say, first of all, that I'm not a huge Replacements fan. I like their music, but for me, they were just another good Minneapolis band (and I heard a lot of them). I liked this film, and I think that it succeeded on its own terms for the most part. According to the director, this is the film that he wanted to make. He didn't need, or even want, The Replacements in the movie -- not even in interviews. That was his choice, and as far as it went, I think he made it work. But ultimately, it's unsatisfying. There are points when you really would like to see the incidents being described -- to take one obvious example, the SNL appearance. It eventually seems kind of perverse to make a film about The Replacements that you don't see any of the band members in, on stage or in interview (although it seems in keeping with the 'Mats ethos, I guess).

What bothered me more than the absence of any performances or other input from the band, though, were some odd omissions. The film asserts that Bob Stinson's death at the age of 35 was not due to a drug overdose -- and says nothing more. So, he died of natural causes? The film doesn't say. (Years of drug and alcohol abuse eventually killed him. How hard is that to say?)

The film does not explain why Peter Jesperson, their manager, who did more than anyone else to make their careers, was fired. The film does not explain why Chris Mars was fired just before the band's final tour. And the film basically ignores Bob "Slim" Dunlap, who replaced Bob Stinson. According to this film, Bob Stinson was the spark plug who powered the band, and after his departure, the band sucked. That may or may not be true, but Bob Dunlap should have been accorded at least some respect. He was considered a member of The Replacements, although you'd never know it from this film. Unless I missed something, no one said his name, and you only saw it twice onscreen. The film actually went into (slightly) more detail about Steve Foley joining the band! That's just wrong. To me, that shows that the director went into the project with the idea that the original Replacements were the Real Deal, and everything after that was crap. If I'm wrong, why completely ignore Bob "Slim" Dunlap?

Monstrous Waste of Time

[jwerwin80 · 2/10 · 5 November 2011]

This movie is everything that's bad about music documentaries, and none of the good.

There's no music. There's no footage of the band, and not even much in the way of photos. The filmmaker claims that he was trying to see if he could do a music documentary about a band without including the band. Based on what I saw, the experiment was a failure.

What we get instead is 2 hours of (expletive deleted) interviews with critics and other self-declared experts on the band. Most of it is just critics and musicians talking in meaningless superlatives. When the movie was over, I felt like I needed a shower to get all of that cow manure off of my skin.

There are s few people who have things to say that are relevant - some insiders from Minneapolis and project collaborators. But not enough to make this movie worth watching or renting.

As a historical documentary, the movie sucks. The movie is short on real information, and long on meaningless pseudo-intellectual blathering. The history that is presented is sanitized, and incomplete. There's more than one lie of omission in how people and events are portrayed.

For example, in the discussion of the Replacements appearance on SNL in 1986, Bob's wife describes how the band trashed the dressing room, but there's no mention of Paul swearing at Bob on live television. Also, there's no mention of how Lorne Michaels didn't just ban the Replacements -- he canceled an upcoming scheduled appearance by The Cure, and banned all rock bands for a long time. What we get instead is person after person yammering on and on about how being banned from SNL makes the Replacements one of the world's greatest bands.

An interview with Lorne Michaels, Harry Dean Stanton (the guest host) or any of the members of that SNL cast (Joan Cussack, Robert Downey Jr.) would have been interesting to see ... but this movie contains very few interviews that are actually relevant to anything.

There's a lot of talk about why album XXXX or song XXXX is the greatest thing ever recorded ... and subjecting an audience to 2 hours of (expletive deleted) doth not make a watchable documentary.

Needless to say this movie is a massive disappointment.

For true fans and the people who love them

[tteuber-1 · 9/10 · 3 April 2011]

I saw this at the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison, a town where the Replacements put on many memorable shows. This film ain't about the band, it's about their fans...and their passion for the band. It's a wonderful mix of fans and writers like Jim DeRogatis, Greg Kot and Robert Christgau who were spreading the word from the beginning. One of the interviewees compares their legacy to the Velvet Underground. It is said they only sold a few thousand albums in their career, but everyone who bought one started a band. Among today's bands that carry the Mats flag, Wilco (my current obsession) stands out and there's Jeff Tweedy proclaiming that every Wilco song is based on the Replacements.

The Mats were human, and that humanity shines through without any of the members being on screen.

I liked this film about one of my favorite bands of all time but there were some things that irked me for sure.

[apocalypse_ciao · 6/10 · 7 November 2011]

So walking in to see this, I was anxious and excited to see it, especially after reading some glowing reviews I saw posted here on the IMDb website. But in all honesty, I started to feel well, guarded, about half-way watching the film. Why I started to feel guarded is because I really feel like the Replacements' music was there for me in my aimless youth, particularly my adolescence. Listening to their music was like having a heart to heart conversation that I wish I had with an old friend, telling me everything was going to be okay. It was like they we're saying, it's okay that you're a weirdo because you know what, we are too. So this guarded feeling came from me wanting to be there for this band, just like they were for me. And more importantly, hoping that people wouldn't misunderstand the band or try to add them into their pantheon of underground bands just to be seen as cool. So those questions started to form in my head, "Where is this director coming from?" Or "Why was this person or that person chosen to represent an ordinary Replacements fan?" And feeling like, I don't think you really like this band. You're just some dumb hipster schmuck who doesn't really get this band but are pretending to so that you can get some screen time to promote whatever it is that you do.

Don't get me wrong, I really do like this film. Particularly the people interviewed who actually knew the band or lended a helping hand. However, my main problem with giving the film a full 10 stars came down to a couple of things. The first being that for every album the Mats put out, a screen would come up displaying the year that it came out in, how many records were sold, and then whatever band was popular at the time and how many records they sold. Obviously it was meant to be "cheeky". But what I didn't like was that some of the artists that the filmmaker was trying to deem as less musical than the Mats or more pop oriented and catering to the masses, I recall reading in interviews that the Replacements did in the 80's and 90's, they actually liked. For instance, they actually liked Prince and Bon Jovi. And where this graphic screen completely didn't work for me and lost it's coherency and merit was when the screen pops up for Don't Tell A Soul and then underneath it states that Guns N' Roses was the best selling rock album for 1989. Why it doesn't work for me is because Tommy Stinson plays bass for G N' R now. When that happened, I had an eye rolling moment.

But my main gripe would have to be how the filmmaker chose to represent a typical Replacements' fan. What sticks out in my head and unfortunately so, is this annoying bearded writer with horn rimmed looking glasses who for some reason got the most screen time out of all the fans interviewed. At first he seemed alright until he said something that made me question if indeed he really was a fan of The Replacements or 1980's alternative and college rock. This guy actually said that he used to go into a wheatfield when he was 14 and conjure up The Replacements, in his head, to the point they would actually be hanging out with him in a wheatfield. What a bunch of pretentious drivel. And what I really didn't like was his very last moment of screen time, when he makes this statement about how The Replacements existed on some higher plane than R.E.M., U2, and The Dead Milkmen. That's where I felt like saying or better yet asking this character if he was in front of me saying that, well then, what other bands were you listening to from the mid to late 80's? In fact, didn't Peter Buck play the solo in "I Will Dare"? Didn't R.E.M. and The Replacements tour together at some point? I'm sorry but if you didn't sport a mohawk and weren't an overly aggressive male ie a jock in the mid to late 80's, than those were the bands you listened to.

Furthermore, the Mats never wanted to exist on some higher plane of music that this person was alleging they existed on. They just wanted to be themselves, drunk, sober, or even dumb, but always poetically so. They were never this sappy pseudo-intellectual hipster band. And it kind of pisses me off how people like that are trying to act like they know everything there is to know about The Replacements and or have been a fan of them for years.

It got me thinking that this bearded fellow, and some of the other bearded fellows might have been chosen or got the most screen time as some sort of marketing ploy so that this film could be marketed to the glib, hipster, youth market, when shopping for a distributor.

I also couldn't believe how no one mentioned what a powerful song "Skyway" was or is on the segment on Pleased to Me or even that they liked it. Come on now! That's one of the best songs they ever recorded and I found it unbelievable that no one even mentioned it.

Anyways, I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade by writing this review and I really do recommend this documentary to people, maybe not so much for longtime fans but for new ones. Longtime fans don't need to be reminded of the power of their music and history. However, I would like to see a more definitive documentary on them in the future, with the surviving members of the Replacements doing most of the talking similar to The Beatles anthology.

Because if anyone deserves some long overdue recognition for their contribution to music, The Replacements sure do.

As promised - no music

[bob-lazaroff · 4/10 · 7 July 2012]

I couldn't drink the kool aid; the gimmick of no music gets old really quick. Without any music or photos of the band, this doc falls flat. As a Mats fan I learned some stuff, and it was great to see faces of so many familiar names. Overall watching this film is kinda like seeing a doc on Van Gogh without any of his paintings - only friends of Theo saying what an awesome/screwed up dude Vince was. Too much screen time given to a fan from Nebraska who got turned on to Tim as a 14 year old. His interviews kept going on and on - obviously a love fest for this guy. He sounded like a boring academic. Never thought someone could make the Replacements seem boring or academic, but he did both.

Best Rock Doc ever

[gailfb · 25 October 2011]

This is the best rock doc I have ever seen. I watched this film knowing little to nothing about the Replacements. I left with a real desire to experiences their music. The film puts the stories together in a way that made me feel that I personally follow the replacements into the bars and not only heard their gigs but set down and drank with the Replacements before their sets, though you hear none of their music. Color me Obsessed took me on a carnival ride I want to get on and ride again and again. Though this film is essentially talking heads the director captivated me visually with the composition of each shot as he wove tales that I not only wished I was part of, but I willed myself to first imagine then believe that I was a part of.

A music doc without the music.

[madscientist2787 · 7/10 · 23 May 2014]

Gorman Bechard's has created a unique type of music doc here, telling the story of cult-favorite Minneapolis-based rock band The Replacements exclusively via talking heads interviews with the group's fans and contemporaries. No-one from the group themselves is interviewed, nor are any clips, songs, or even photos used.

What could have been an experimental-seeming gimmick actually really draws the viewer in as the interview subjects recount the band's rise to prominence, their anarchic live shows, and the musical envelope-pushing of their early records and subsequent "commercial sound" of their later ones.

The roster of talking heads includes a handful of celebrity admirers like "The Kids in the Hall"s Dave Foley, George Wendt and Tom Arnold, contemporaries like Husker Du's Grant Hart, younger musicians who were influenced by the group like members of the Hold Steady, the Gaslight Anthem, and the Goo Goo Dolls, and a multitude of graying record engineers, punk club promoters, record store owners, college station DJs, and others. Collectively, they paint a vivid portrait of the group. Despite being only passingly familiar with the band, I found this approach deeply involving; much more so than the usual "Behind the Music" approach. Well and truly, a unique documentary.

Documentary of the band The Replacements

[genepool3 · 10/10 · 27 March 2011]

The Replacements were quite possibly the most destructively creative force in rock music history. Destructive simply because each time they were on the verge of financial success they seemed to purposely sabotage their own careers. Creative because they inspired so many future musicians. You simply can't find a rock band working today who hasn't ripped them off.

This amazing documentary features interviews with friends, colleagues, and a few celebrities (Dave Foley from Kids in The Hall and Tom Arnold plus others) who either knew, worked with the band or were inspired by their music. A fascinating look at the most influential and most under-appreciated band in American rock history.

You don't know who The Replacements are? Shame on you! I saw this at the world premier in Tampa at the Gasparilla Film Festival. Highly recommended!

Great film if your a Replacements fan, and even if your not!

[farscape88-18-114340 · 8/10 · 3 April 2011]

This film made me laugh out loud, as I saw these guys 3 times, and then saw Paul a few times in his single carrier. This band was the band that never wanted to be recognized as good, but they were very talented. I saw the film Sat. with a few other friends and the only thing I wish it had of course was music, but it did such a great job of story telling, that it wasn't needed. More pictures of the band would have been great, and that was my only gripe, other than that a splendid movie with great storytelling of a great band out of the Twin Cities! Now bring it on to Blu-Ray so I can buy a copy! :) Again, thanks for bringing back some great memories!

Listen to their music first!

[tomweber3-2 · 5/10 · 12 March 2014]

As Captain Beefheart once said about guitar solos, there are no mistakes, only interesting choices.

Director Gorman Bechard certainly made an interesting choice when he decided to present a two-hour-long documentary about the Replacements without including any of their music, instead opting for an endless series of interviews with fans, fellow travelers and music critics.

I was enough of a Replacements fan to buy most of their records as they came out. I thought they were a good band with flashes of greatness, but with an insecurity that prevented them from fully realizing their musical ideas. So, I can fill in the missing music from memory. Anyone who has heard OF the Replacements but never heard their records would be well advised to listen to the music first, or this movie won't make a lot of sense.

Having said that, I found the interviews to be revealing (although some are oddly framed, with subjects looking off-screen) and I enjoyed watching the film. I did pause it several times to play some Replacements songs in appropriate places.

There's a self-congratulatory and exclusionary tone to this documentary that bothered me more and more as I watched. Mr. Bechard may feel that he was making a sophisticated artistic choice by excluding music and archival footage (and I admit, many music docs rely far too heavily on these elements). But at the same time, he's saying that only old fans of this cult band are cool enough to watch. And that's very alien to the spirit of the Replacements, a band of misfits who turned to music because they weren't good enough to hang with the cool kids.

The best rock n' roll band you never heard..

[brittanymarieashabranner · 10/10 · 27 March 2011]

Absolutely thrilled that this film came to Tampa first. Interviews with Jesse Malin (another personal favorite singer and songwriter of mine) Tommy Ramone and close friends of the Replacements gives you a different view of the band. They are personal heroes to many but they were just normal guys trying to have fun. In the music world people starve for attention and push their demos on record labels but not these guys. My favorite part of the film was where it is said that Paul insists "Track#1" on "Hootenanny" be played in a club as a first listen of the new album by the fans and DJ. That was just wonderful. And if you don't know why, well you need to. Taking my fiancé with me was great. We both have different tastes in music. (He-newer metal, Lamb of God etc..) Came in pretty uninterested but left asking me questions all the way home for the two hour drive. Now that is a good documentary! You can try and push The 'Mats but it isn't needed. People will always find their way.

An Excellent Long Awaited Documentary

[tdfenelon · 10/10 · 27 March 2011]

We've waited years for someone to make a great documentary about the Replacements and we are very fortunate that Gorman was up to the challenge. How do you capture the story of the greatest band ever? I don't know, but Gorman nailed it. He accomplished exactly what he set out to do, tell a story. No music necessary. Gorman leaves you with a thirst for the Replacements that can only be compared to a dehydrated hangover. Make sure your vinyl bar is stocked before you go. You will need a Replacements fix immediately after the show. I loved the movie. I've been a fan since 1985 and the film makes you want to jump right in and tell your story of how you "got it" the first time you heard one of their albums.

Certain thoughts, which have been debated for years, come to mind as you watch the film. Did the Replacements really break up in 1991 or was it over when Bob got kicked out of the band? Did Paul need the chaos of Bob to produce some of his greatest material? Did he need to be Stuck In The Middle of the Stinson brothers? A great band continued to produce great songs after Bob left, but was it The Replacements or The re-Replacements? I don't know. I love all their albums and the way they progressed through the years right up to when Paul finally asks Someone Take The Wheel. Gorman did an excellent job of capturing a period of time when a mythical band called The Replacements ruled Left Of The Dial.

Best Thing Ever Done on the Mats

[MikeZ1963 · 10/10 · 8 May 2011]

I had the pleasure of seeing Color Me Obsessed at the last screening at the Trylon in Minneapolis. And I can say, pretty much without hesitation, that this is the definitive version of the Mats story. It covers everything and I mean everything you could ever want to know about this band unlike they've ever been covered before. It presents so many great stories, people who were influenced by them, people who just love them, and a lot of new facts. I can think of three things regarding their album Tim alone which I have never heard before. And I've read everything on the band, including the online bible which is massive. To even compare this to the All Over But The Shouting book is just silly. Sorry, I hated that book. The author didn't even interview most of the people in it. Its like half made up of quotes from articles and reviews on the band. (To the person who complained about the article quotes used in the film. What movie were you watching? There were only three that I remember, the guys from Wilco and Drive-by Truckers, and one from the late Jim Dickinson, who would have been tough to get considering. While there were like over a hundred people in the film talking to the camera. You're like complaining about 30 seconds in a 2 hour movie.) The book has no flow, it sort of jumps around and makes no sense. I was so annoyed when I finished reading it. The movie though made me just want to be able to see it again. It tells the bands story from start to finish, using the albums as chapters. If you didn't know anything about them, you'd understand everything by the end. And though I would have loved to see clips of the band, they were never missed. No, really. I know it sounds strange but the story works without the music or the band. I'm not even sure how. But it does. Maybe the Mats have a really good story, and this is a really good movie. The director introduced the film and told us he was giving non-fans all the info they needed to discover the band as us die hards did way back when. And that the die hards didn't need the music, we'd already be hearing the songs playing in our heads during the film. He was so right. I've been a fan since 1981 and I think this is a great movie. I'm glad the bands story has finally been told.

Replacements Fanboy Documentary

[jetaspirin · 8/10 · 28 April 2011]

Great fanboy adulation of a monumental American rock band, not sure if this would mean much to the uninitiated...but it's cool nonetheless. It's a loving tribute, done in back asswards style, that would suit the 'Mats shoot-themselves-in-the-foot sort of perverse way of doing things, which is to say, the band is not in this movie, nor is any of their music. But it definitely holds up if you loved and lived this band at any point in your life.

If you're not familiar with the Replacements, then perhaps by viewing this you might be able to get the idea that this band was amazing, special, beautiful, shambolic, brilliant, charming and rock n' roll. Otherwise, I'd suggest getting yourself a copy of Let It Be and let the transformation begin...

The movie also seems to be more about being a 'Mats fan than being about the band itself, it shows a good segment of their fandom which is mostly (now middle-aged) male record-store clerk, rock-critic types, a few musicians and producers and one or two former rock chicks.

There time was short, they burned bright...it was fun to watch...and the music was great, what more can be said?

Documentary about influential band and their fans.

[pfahndrich · 10/10 · 3 April 2011]

An outstanding doc on an outstanding band! This film is really for the fans of the Replacements. It is for us. Most people don't know the Replacements but those who do share a common bond. It is easy to explain to why the Beatles are great. It is sometimes difficult to explain the Replacements brilliance. Gorman Bechard does a terrific job bringing those feelings to the screen. Craig Finn, Grant Hart, most impressively Robert Christgau, and several other Rock 'N Roll scenesters are interviewed alongside "regular" people to give insight on the effect and influence the band had and has on so many. The decision not to use any Replacements music or essentially any images turns out to be the real stroke of genius. Bechard told the Wisconsin Film Festival crowd he didn't want it to be a "VH1 where are they now?" Riveting from start to end, it will send you running for your stereo armed with your stack of Replacements albums. One last note, if you don't know the band, don't be put off. Trust me, you want to know this band, you want to know this film.

Fittingly eccentric

[scootermcr · 10/10 · 6 November 2011]

I went in to this movie with a lot of concerns. How could you do a documentary about such an important band, that relatively few people ever heard of, without playing any of their music, showing any concert/video footage, or interviewing any of the band members? As a longtime fan, it bothered me that this documentary was being "wasted" like this.

But you know what? It works. I mean it REALLY WORKS. You come away with such a complete picture of who these 4 guys were, what made them tick, what made them great. Music be damned, the story here is how the band affected those around them, how the songs changed (and saved) people's lives.

And despite having spent a lifetime listening to these records, I found myself learning new things about the songs. Being reminded about what made them great - warts, flubs and all. Being reminded about the joyfulness in which they approached their craft -- they were out there to have fun, and however they got there didn't matter as much.

And I also liked how the last years of the band were told with such honesty and weren't glorified. How kicking out Bob, and then later Peter Jesperson, and then Chris, just decimated the band and it truly became a Paul solo act near the end.

All in all, I'm glad that such a daring approach was taken to this film about this band -- fittingly eccentric for such a perfectly imperfect band.