Bob and the Monster

Many documentaries revolve around musicians who have battled substance abuse, but director Keirda Baruth profiles an indie rocker who became a drug and alcohol counselor. Bob Forrest admits that he wanted to try heroin ever since he discovered Lenny Bruce. In the 1980s, Forrest moved from Palm Springs to Hollywood, where he hobnobbed with bands like Fishbone and Jane's Addiction. His interest in poetry and literature led him to front Thelonious Monster, whose ascent coincided with his own descent into coke, crystal meth, and heroin use (Baruth uses claymation sequences to depict Forrest's chemically-enhanced experiences). Just as the band was rising, Forrest took a considerable advance from RCA to leave and made an ill-fated solo album. As Monster's drummer Pete Weiss puts it, "He was one of the largest assholes ever to walk the planet." The band would eventually reunite, but Forrest's drug problems only worsened. Forrest believes that his downward spiral began when he learned the truth about his origins (which involved adoption) at the age of 13. After hitting bottom, he started to get his life back together following a series of rehab stints. From there, he went on to help fellow addicts, including Courtney Love and Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante, in conjunction with the Musicians Assistance Program. Through celeb rehab expert Dr. Drew Pinsky, he studied the science of addiction and became a proponent of abstinence-based treatment (although Baruth is a little vague about Forrest's falling out with the Las Encinitas program, which utilizes prescription drugs). Forrest ultimately formed his own recovery centers, where he promotes the same non-religious, prescription-free techniques that were effective for him. Offering an interesting portrait of one man's triumph over addiction and subsequent good work, this is recommended. [Note: this is also available on DVD for $99.95 w/PPR for public libraries, and $350 w/PPR for colleges and universities from The Cinema Guild at www.cinemaguild.com.] Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)