Pearl Jam Twenty (2011)

67% of critics liked it
(27 reviews)
90% of users liked it
(1,958 ratings)

Pearl Jam Twenty chronicles the years leading up to the band's formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after their rise to megastardom, their step back from center stage, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them-giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. Told in big… More Pearl Jam Twenty chronicles the years leading up to the band's formation, the chaos that ensued soon-after their rise to megastardom, their step back from center stage, and the creation of a trusted circle that would surround them-giving way to a work culture that would sustain them. Told in big themes and bold colors with blistering sound, the film is carved from over 1,200 hours of rarely-seen and never-before seen footage spanning the band's career. Pearl Jam Twenty is the definitive portrait of Pearl Jam: part concert film, part intimate insider-hang, part testimonial to the power of music and uncompromising artists. -- (C) Official Site

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr.
Directed By: Cameron Crowe
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary

In Theaters: Sep 23, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Nov 14, 2011
Studio: Abramorama

Critic Reviews

Dana Stevens, Slate
Crowe has assembled some top-drawer ephemera -- old show posters, home movies, and candid backstage footage -- but he overestimates his audience's patience for present-day talking-head interviews.
Guy Dixon, Globe and Mail
With its intimacy and (this can't be emphasized enough) fantastic sound, Pearl Jam Twenty is like two hours spent rediscovering the band through excellent headphones.
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
If only it was about something other than rockers almost irked they got famous.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
In a better film, Crowe would have played journalist instead of fan boy.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
By the time "Pearl Jam Twenty" is over we can't help but be impressed by the kind of personal and professional integrity that has kept the band honest and allowed them to endure and prosper.
Andy Webster, New York Times
While the movie may not have the insight of D. A. Pennebaker's "Don't Look Back" or even Phil Joanou's U2 travelogue, "Rattle and Hum," Pearl Jam devotees will not go home musically unnourished.
John Gholson, Movies.com
Pearl Jam Twenty may not create new fans, but for existing fans, it's an exceptional musical experience.
Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com
It is a huge missed opportunity on Crowe's part. In his attempt to show the best traits of a band he is obviously very enamored with, he's wound up with a pretty lackluster film.
Brian Tallerico, HollywoodChicago.com
Very few music documentaries in the history of the form have more successfully conveyed the inner workings and outer artistic expression of a band than Cameron Crowe's brilliant Pearl Jam Twenty.
Matt Pais, RedEye
[Crowe] merely wants to capture the personalities, the songs and the shows.
Diva Velez, TheDivaReview.com
With noticeable gaps between the telling of its first decade and its second, Pearl Jam Twenty didn't necessarily need to be a feature, but is a really lovely fan letter to a band that's worked hard for the devotion and respect it receives.
Edward Douglas, ComingSoon.net
A great introduction to the band as well as a great recap for the fans who have been there all along the way.
Noel Murray, AV Club
What makes Pearl Jam Twenty a little better than the average fan-friendly documentary is that Crowe focuses on the more significant parts of the Pearl Jam story.
JimmyO, JoBlo's Movie Emporium
For the biggest fans, it may be the single best movie going experience you will have this year
Nick Schager, Slant Magazine
A loving, gracefully crafted retrospective that shrewdly eschews Behind the Music conventions at most turns.

Read all 15 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Reid V

Loved the footage and the interviews. However, it glossed over some details that I think Crowe assumed that the viewer should have already known. Also, it was oddly organized. The first half of the film consisted of your standard rock doc fare, while the second half seemed to jump all… More
Loved the footage and the interviews. However, it glossed over some details that I think Crowe assumed that the viewer should have already known. Also, it was oddly organized. The first half of the film consisted of your standard rock doc fare, while the second half seemed to jump all over the place. Without the structure, it just felt like Pearl Jam trivia time. Which don't get me wrong, I very much enjoyed. I only wish that the second act was as well constructed as the first.
Dan S

A nice, well-paced, nostalgic filled blast chronicling the rise of one of the most influential and powerful rock bands in the history of music. Having a shrewd film-maker like Cameron Crowe behind the lenses is never a bad thing, considering his great knowledge of the grunge genre.… More
A nice, well-paced, nostalgic filled blast chronicling the rise of one of the most influential and powerful rock bands in the history of music. Having a shrewd film-maker like Cameron Crowe behind the lenses is never a bad thing, considering his great knowledge of the grunge genre. Here he unleashes some great unseen footage that details both Pearl Jam and the grunge era remarkably well. In a day and age when music meant something (something a large part of my generation knows nothing about, narcissistic rap and pop continues to plague the airwaves), Crowe lets the music do the talking while appropriately picking his moments to add in some nice touches from time to time. Pearl Jam is a truly remarkable band that capture topics such as teenage angst, hurt, loyalty, family, politics, and inner-peace so very well, and once you give them a serious try (listening to one or two of their songs doesn't qualify you as a "fan", at least to me - listen to their full discography) it will be hard not to fall totally in love with them.
Jason R

You had me at Cameron Crowe! I don't think that there could have ever been a better combination of filmmaker and band for a documentary. Loved every minute of this!