Reviews: Joan Baez I Am a Noise

Final Rating: 4/5

Early in I Am A Noise, Joan Baez, in a reflective moment, suggests “We remember what’s less painful for us”, a quote which rings with a powerful resonance as the film draws towards its conclusion. As with any documentary it’s fair to ask how unbiased (unbaezed?) an opinion the subject can truly present of themselves, but this insightful portrait paints a picture of someone unflinchingly honest about their past and all that it entailed. 

From troubled relationships, with men and (one) women, including the likes of Bob Dylan, where the beauty of her voice and visage is contrasted by Dylan’s, uh…inner beauty…her marriage and split from David Harris, to drug use, family issues, the last of which gets very dark, (trigger warning there is discussion of abuse). It encompasses the totality of her incredible life. She speaks of everything from performing live, to the joys and struggles of motherhood and in archival footage of what fame meant to her at the time, accomplishing so much at such a young age. 

This story is as much about Joan Baez’s legendary career as her own struggles with mental health issues, and the film weaves together old home movie footage from her childhood, and animates her teenage journals, which help enrich the narrative, ultimately painting a picture of a tortured soul. It’s a talking point throughout, the open and frank discussions about what fame at such an early age entailed and how isolating it felt at times, reminds us that we never truly know what’s going on behind the scenes. From her proclivity to walking barefoot to baring her soul, we see the struggles many older artists face when their once powerful voice isn’t what it used to be. Or when the physical act of playing the guitar becomes more challenging. 

To its credit, the film doesn’t try to hide these realities nor glorify Joan for pressing through them as she continues to tour. Rather it provides a glimpse of that reality. It follows her and her band, which includes her son Gabriel (from her marriage to Harris) who is an accomplished drummer. Her sister Mimi was also an accomplished musician, and the difficulty of living in Joan’s shadow was no small task, which she and her sister Pauline discuss, amongst other trials and tribulations. 

Like the work of so many artists, her career serves as a snapshot of America during that period. With the revival in popularity of folk music, to the civil rights movement and efforts to end the war in Vietnam she was a presence and a voice. Her involvement in the civil rights movement was spurred in part by the racism she faced growing up with regards to her Mexican heritage. 

Her presence at the March in Washington and Martin Luther King Jr’s famous ‘I have a dream’ speech and finding a cause to try to end the war in Vietnam (how she came to be with Harris who was eventually incarcerated for refusing to be conscripted). To her support today for rights in the gay community, to speak to the kind of open minded perspective she preaches. In recent tour footage we see her interact with fans where she is thanked for being a voice for those who may not have one, and is as charismatic as when on camera as she is one on one, making it easy to understand why people of all kinds were drawn to her. 

The last part of the film juxtaposes the beginning sentiment of what we choose to remember, and while difficult to watch at times, it tries to unravel the complicated relationship with her parents. How and what we choose to remember and that we each have a different perspective on events. It also speaks to the honesty she puts forth, and an attempt to understand herself, her career and relationships in a new light. 

While some may critique the manner in which she does so, it ultimately serves as a sort of therapy for her and in this way it helps us connect with the person. The story as a whole is that of a complex person, which both super fans, and those with a casual interest will find something to take away from what has been an astonishing life.

Thank you to Star PR and Mongrel Media for the screener.