Finding Lucinda: Movie Review
Reviewed by Harry Kaplan
Before I begin to give a critique and insight into the film, I think it’s important to add some context. I have had a soft spot for Lucinda Williams for about 25 years now. I always listen in amazement and shake my head in disbelief that one person could write so many incredible songs. Because of this, I really thought that this would be one of the easiest reviews I have written. Well things don’t always turn out the way we expect. In fact, this has been one of the most difficult reviews. Not because of the subject matter but because I want it to be perfect and I guess my affinity towards Lucinda has censored my writing.
The premise of this film is a young songwriter, ISMAY (Avery Hellman), tracing the journey of Lucinda Williams in order to become a better songwriter and try to capture the magic that Lucinda has been conjuring up for over 50 years. At one point in the film, ISMAY asks what makes Lucinda so good at her craft and there really wasn’t a definitive answer. I think I know. It’s two things, really: pain and honesty. Lucinda doesn’t write too many happy songs. Most of her songs are about loss, heartbreak, death, mental illness, etc. Not necessarily a Hallmark 90 minute movie special. But in order to be authentic, you need to have experienced all of those things. Even more than that, you have to be honest to a fault. Being able to expose your innermost feelings and thoughts in a way that is relatable. Nobody can do this better than Lu. It’s probably one of the most difficult things to do as a writer. It makes one incredibly vulnerable and it is akin to walking around completely naked in public all the time. It’s a skill that only a few people in a generation seem to possess and Lucinda possesses it in spades. It produces incredible art but it also takes an incredible toll.
It’s about time that someone did a deep dive into the career of Lucinda Williams and ISMAY did a great job of capturing the essence of this American treasure. Interviewing musicians, producers, and engineers such as Charlie Sexton, Josh Baca, Maz Baca, John Grimaudo, Wolf Stephenson, Buddy Miller, Mary Gauthier, and Ray Kennedy who either worked with or were influenced by Lu, or both. She analyzes what it is that makes Lu who she is. In an incredibly sweet and emotional moment at the end of the film, ISMAY is interviewing Lucinda and is asking for advice on how to be the best version of herself she can be. And Lucinda, with all of her eloquence, tells her, you’ve got this, you’re already there. It’s one of the most touching moments in the film. It’s a bit of the torch being passed.
There is another segment towards the end of the film where ISMAY confronts herself in a moment of honesty. She is conflicted by continuing this journey down the Lucinda Williams path or to veer off and become her own person, in a sense, and write about her own experiences rather than living vicariously through someone else. It is an incredibly poignant moment in the film. It is ISMAY’s moment of honesty and vulnerability. That is something incredibly difficult to confront to one’s self, let alone an entire viewing public. It shows remarkable maturity and self awareness.
This is the fastest 60 minutes that I have ever encountered. Certainly, having a keen interest in the subject matter makes it an easy watch, but the film itself is extremely well made and well shot. There’s no knob twisting and no film making gimmicks. In a way, it mirrors Lucinda Williams’ songwriting style, putting everything out there in an honest yet creative way. I don’t know if that parallel was on ISMAY’s mind when she was making the movie, but she definitely achieved that goal.