Movie Reviews

Kurt and Courtney

18 Sep 1998

When Kurt Cobain died in 1994, at age 27, he joined the long parade of rock stars who departed at their peak, leaving history with a distorted view of their talent.

Maverick British documentary maker Nick Broomfield admits that he considers Cobain "a great artist". He is not alone. "Nevermind", by Cobain's band Nirvana, was recently voted one of the top five rock albums, even though their so-called "grunge" music was little more than punk music with long hair. Like other rock legends, Cobain's music ability was questionable, but he reflected the mood of the kids.

His death was ruled a suicide. In part of this film, when Broomfield interviews his ex-girlfriend, it becomes clear that Cobain was indeed twisted enough to kill himself. Broomfield, however, investigates the theory that it was murder, masterminded by his wife, punk musician cum actress Courtney Love.

Like all of Broomfield's films, Kurt and Courtney is really a movie about making a documentary, with Broomfield accompanied by a shaky, hand-held camera. His interviews are dramatic dialogues rather than Q&A sessions. The camera continually pans between him and his interviewees.

With Broomfield as an obsessive detective, this has nearly all the elements of a good murder mystery. The dangerous femme fatale. The mystery witness. The journey into the seedy world of the victim, populated by numerous wild characters. Even the witness who dies in a freak accident soon after talking to the detective. All the elements... except the end.

For all the witnesses, it still can't prove that Love killed Cobain. What it does show is that Love, murderous or not, is a truly vile human being. Her new image, as a wholesome film star, is her best performance yet.

Understandably, she refused to be interviewed for this film, and tried to prevent its release. Her constant legal pressure makes an effective subplot, raising the stakes for our muckracking hero. It also leaves us a film with no music by Nirvana. Love owns the rights.

Never mind. This film is about two people, and neither of them is Cobain. It's Love versus Broomfield. One may or may not be a killer; the other is a skilled character assassin.