Color Me Obsessed: A Film about the Replacements

Most rock documentaries follow the VH1 Behind the Music model, so it's refreshing to find a filmmaker brave (or weird) enough to try something different. Here, Gorman Bechard invites fans and associates to recount the Replacements saga, and instead of the usual music and commentary from the quartet (completely absent here), onscreen text is used to fill in the blanks, starting with the band's Minneapolis beginnings in 1979 as Dogbreath. A year later, the newly-christened Impediments (Paul Westerberg, Bob Stinson, Chris Mars, and 13-year-old Tommy Stinson) released a four-track demo, which led to a deal with Twin/Tone Records. As the story continues, Bechard zooms in on ticket stubs, posters, and other mementos, but no images of the group (which is unfortunate, especially when people describe Bob's infamous outfits, like tutus and garbage bags). Before releasing their 1981 debut, Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, the foursome finally became the Replacements. Hootenanny producer Paul Stark remembers that Bob was "really good after two beers" and "really bad after four." Other speakers include Steve Albini, George Wendt, and Dave Foley. Bechard may not have had to clear any music rights, but he deserves credit for assembling 140 individuals to tell the Replacements' tale: a sad but compelling wallow in alcoholism, interpersonal tension, and artistic compromise, along with flashes of brilliance, as the 'Mats signed to Warner Brothers, worked with Jim Dickinson, and fired Bob, Peter, and Chris (Bob died in 1995) before breaking up. Ultimately, the interviews make Color Me Obsessed a worthwhile watch, especially for Replacements fans. DVD extras include two audio commentaries, extended interviews, and deleted scenes. Recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)