The Future is Unwritten: The Joe Strummer Story B-

124 minutes, In selected theatres, Unrated

This documentary on British Rock/Punk band The Clash’s Joe Strummer is a solid primer on one of the seminal acts of the 80’s but never transcends the subject matter. Perhaps the ardent will find nuggets of information here, but director Julien Temple’s (music videos) decision to employ endless snippets of interviews with fellow rockers, love interests, and affected stars (Johnny Depp? John Cusack?) while at times meaningful, veers dangerously close to VH1 territory. Surprising, the most interesting information concerns his pre-Clash days at home and then leading a hippie collective squatting in abandoned buildings in London. Perhaps this is because, thanks again to VH1, we know how the Rock ‘n Roll band bio goes: buzz as they play local gigs, record label, U.S. tour, drugs, girls, “questionable” album, big U.S. tour, fighting, new band mates, dissolution, reunion gig. Strummer’s post-Clash days are surprising for their lack of much real output. While the film wants to suggest that Strummer’s death cut short a resurging career that was entering a second artistic high, that seems a bit optimistic. B-
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