Heaven Adores You

The life of musician Elliott Smith (1969-2003) receives a respectful telling in Nickolas Rossi's oral-history-style documentary. Born in Omaha, Smith grew up in Dallas. His half-sister, Hannah Welch, says that Smith left home as a teenager because he didn't get along with his stepfather, but he would find a welcoming community in Oregon, where he played in several bands, including Heatmiser. Smith's solo work, however, didn't catch on until others artists—including Lou Barlow and Mary Lou Lord—took him on tour. Their support paved the way for his move from post-punk into chamber pop. By the time Smith released 1997's Either/Or, the rest of the country was listening to him, but he disappointed friends when he relocated to New York the following year, eventually moving to Los Angeles and signing a major label contract. Smith's highest accolade arrived with an Oscar nomination for “Miss Misery” from Good Will Hunting, but by that time trouble signs were already evident. Friends remember that he drank heavily on the road, noting that he only toured and met with the press in order to write and sing, as he found the attention and adulation unnerving. At some point Smith turned to heroin and in 2003 took his own life. Rossi includes enough interview excerpts here to successfully argue that Smith wasn't dark or gloomy, no matter what his music or image may have suggested. While it would have been nice to hear from director Gus Van Sant or Smith's girlfriend, Jennifer Chiba, Rossi still builds a solid narrative here from the recollections of other friends and associates. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include extended interviews and a performance of “Heaven Adores You” by Aaron Espinoza. Recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)