Heaven Adores You: Elliott Smith
As a testament to the talent of its titular singersongwriter, “Heaven Adores You: Elliott Smith” does its job effectively. But if you’re looking for deeper insights into this troubled musician — a grunge version of Paul Simon — you will have to go elsewhere.
A master of the melancholy, Smith was a Portland, Ore., underground favorite who unexpectedly rose to fame when his song “Miss Misery” ( from the film “Good Will Hunting”) was nominated for an Oscar in 1998. Five years later, he died of stab wounds, though the coroner was inconclusive about whether the injuries were self- inflicted or otherwise. Whatever the case, his music lived on.
All of this is rich material for a documentary, but director Nickolas Rossi errs on the side of caution, making this a life celebration instead of an in- depth portrait of an artist who touched many with his soulful work and whose death was shrouded by questions. We also don’t get much of a sense of Smith’s personal demons, which obviously influenced his music.
In fact, Portland itself steals the picture. Rossi pours it on with continuous shots of the city’s rainy landscape, as Smith’s songs play wistfully in the background. Some of these set pieces are beautiful, but they begin to get repetitious, as do the talking heads. The film feels longer than it should, as it maximizes the tributes and sidesteps Smith’s darker side.
Still, good music is good music, and it’s a pleasure to hear this soft- spoken artist’s introspective lyrics. After the film, you may find yourself going online to find out more — and checking out his songs.