blur: To the End

I’m going to sum up before I start here as, if you aren’t a fan of blur, then this film isn’t for you, and so it is unlikely this review will do much to convince you to watch this.  However, if you are a fan, even of only some of their material, then their latest documentary looking at their lives will have some appeal.  For someone like me, who has followed the band ever since Leisure released, and stuck with them through the years, getting excited when they reformed sporadically over the past two decades, and lapping up each evolving album they produced… well… this is just perfection!

Filmed during the recent revival of blur, this film catches up with Damon, Alex, Graham, and Dave as they record their latest album, The Ballad of Darren, and prepare for a new tour that will include their first ever performance at Wembley – the pinnacle of the dreams the band had back in their early days.  With the guys in their 50s now, they reflect on the journey they have been on, from the brash “us against the world” era as showcased in their first documentary, Starshaped, to their splits over the years, the pressures of fame, and their mellower life now.  The reunion of the band as seen on screen is a chance to show that the rumours of their time apart being down to hating each other are far from the truth – yes there have been clashes over the years, but they are a family, and all families have their ups and downs.  What comes over clearly in this is not only how much they care for each other, but also how creative they all are when they regroup.  Even after years apart with barely any conversation, they just gel so perfectly as creatives, and their personal friendships are ones that will always stay with them.

There’s a lot of raw emotion on display here, with Albarn in particular so far matured from his brash early years, now glimpsed here visibly weeping at the deeply personal lyrics that form tracks on their latest album – his mastery of songwriting has evolved so much over the decades, and nobody can deny how much music means to him.  A visit to the school where he and Graham first met, seeing the music room named after the pair and offering to help fund it so more youngsters can find their creativity is a heartwarming connection to where it all began.   They may all now live in big houses in the country – something jokingly referenced within – but they certainly still have that raw humbleness of their origins on display.

blur: To The End climaxes with their Wembley gig, and it also suggests that whilst there are no immediate plans for future materials for the band, as we have come to expect we should never say never, as if Albarn gets an idea for the next step, the four will unite to create magic once more.  It may be To The End, but this is certainly Not The End.