Although it follows the usual documentary chronological format of tracing the major elements of Phil Ochs' life, the film succeeds in creating a narrative using only dialogue from interviews, as well as direct quotes from many of Ochs' songs. The absence of a narrator makes the film feel more like an immersion into, rather than a dramatization of, the singer's life. As far as expanding on Och's place in musical, as well as political, history, the film succeeds and is, to date, the best investigation of an often forgotten folk hero's life and work. |
