Pearl Jam Doc

I've had a hit and miss relationship with Pearl Jam.  Never bought Eddie Vedder's tortured ramblings in the band's early days.  But scattered throughout their catalog are some real tender moments that always made me think Vedder wasn't as beaten up as he appeared on stage or in interviews.  The Cameron Crowe documentary, 20 Years, shows that the band is older and content with their place.  Vedder actually shows a sense of humor, that had been creeping in to his persona, in the last decade.

This is a doc that isn't so much about the band's music, as it is about the band's survival.  How you can go from demos to the studio to the cover of Time magazine in a short  while.  Give them credit, they wavered but never faltered.  They've become a touring band, and like REM did before they broke up, they make albums that try to recapture their glorious run.  But the word is content, and the doc shows that there's no need to think that will change.