Long Strange Trip

Amir Bar-Lev's 2017 documentary covers thirty years of the Grateful Dead. The band never fitted a commercial mould; it built its own audience, allowed its concerts to be taped and reached a large public on its own terms. The documentary does not celebrate that success. At the centre is how the community the band created consumed its own founders; Jerry Garcia's collapse under addiction and expectation is shown in particular detail. The film runs close to four hours and is arranged in six parts. The archive material is extensive and the members say contradictory things; Bar-Lev does not reconcile them. Who it's for: those who like music documentaries and are interested in the history of the counterculture. Who it's not for: viewers looking for a short introduction; the documentary is long and treats addiction and death directly.