As Good As It Gets

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Some of this isn't new, let's get that out of the way. Many of us know that Ozzy "John" Osbourne came out of dirt poor beginnings in a suburb of Birmingham and had little choice with his life but either work at a factory or become a rock and roll star, so he chose the latter. But as a child with dyslexia and a crippling level of insecurities, he went to drugs and alcohol - LOTS and LOTS of em (he could arguably be one of the only people to go head to head with Keith Richards as far as famous British rock Gods on substances) - and yet kept on with being a major figure in Black Sabbath and his solo years from 1980 onward. He continues, against all odds and some common sense perhaps, to tour to this day.The documentary, co-produced by Ozzy's son Jack, is flattering on some levels (if nothing else about his stature in the industry and his legions of fans), but it also is absorbing because it shows all of the darkness that he had. And, more importantly (or concurrently), the loss that he had to endure: his first wife and set of kids after a harsh divorce, the passing of his father, the still shocking passing of guitarist Randy Rhodes, and that loss translated into a sense of self-worth. The film is in praise of the man because, despite ALL that he did, including what should have been unforgivable acts against his family (one story involving his wife Sharon shocks me now more than when I first heard it in the Behind the Music special), he kept on going, trying to sober, but never quite getting there - till his kids intervened in the best and worst ways.I won't say you'll get anything mind-blowingly revelatory (then again this is a shorter cut than what is available elsewhere, i.e. Argentina has a 2 hour version), but it moves at a great pace, uses Ozzy on tour and his own mixed feelings about that as a backbone for the rest of the main story, and of course some of it by its sheer outrageousness is very funny. But some of the things in the film, mostly about the TV show the Osbournes, I was most happy were kept in the film. I like when a documentary can give a whole different perspective on things, and what seemed like a fun if sometimes odd show like the Osbournes was really a horror show when the cameras were off (or were on, as Jack says there's hours of footage of Ozzy as a full-blown alcoholic). If the show ever comes on TV again, and you watch this film, you won't be able to look at it the same way. That's something special.

A documentary charting the life of rock star Ozzy Osbourne; his early days with seminal heavy metal band Black Sabbath, his solo career, his notorious party lifestyle and his life-long battles with drink and drug addiction.John Osbourne, aka Ozzy, is that rare breed - a rock-and-roll survivor who has somehow managed to outlive the most outrageous excesses of showbiz, maintain a very successful career in music for forty years and produce an incredible body of work. As he admits in this film, he should be dead many times over, but somehow he's not only very much alive but still a great musician and songwriter. This is a fairly conventional documentary; it starts at the beginning, with Ozzy's working-class childhood in Aston, moves through the Sabbath years, talks to his friends and family. There are the expected lurid anecdotes of drug-fuelled craziness and some sharp moments of honesty (at one point, he's unable to remember what year his daughter Jessica was born), but unfortunately for me there's very little discussion of his music. This is a man who's made (at the time of writing) eighteen outstanding albums, who has a unique voice, and is a truly gifted lyricist. I want to ask him things like how did you work out the melody for Crazy Train, or what inspired you to write the beautiful words to Spiral Architect ? But no, it's always about why did you bite a bat on stage or how much coke did you snort in '85. There's a long section towards the end dealing with his battles with booze, but it isn't nearly as informative or eloquent as when he sings (in the song Demon Alcohol), "I'll wash away your lies / And have you hypnotised / There'll be no compromise today / I'll share your life of shame / I think you know my name ... ". The movie deals with the (many) low points of his life, such as the heartbreaking death of the brilliant young guitarist Randy Rhoads in 1982, but is oddly uplifting towards the end, showing Ozzy's sideline in painting and his determination to pass his driving test. For someone who has led such a screwed-up life, he's philosophical, articulate and non-judgemental. I didn't like (or watch) the MTV show The Osbournes, which, while it may have been a canny promotion tool on his wife's part, embarrassed me in its peepshow depiction of one of my rock heroes as a bewildered clown. This film goes some way to redressing that image, but not far enough. It's informative and balanced but to get to know the real Ozzy, buy any of his records (I'd suggest starting with Master Of Reality or Diary Of A Madman), turn your TV, phone and all the lights off, and crank up the volume - that's really what he's all about.

I had seen bits and pieces of the MTV series The Osbournes, and I have been interested to see more about the past of the rock star known as the Prince of Darkness, and this documentary was a good opportunity to see that stuff. Basically this film, which uses four decades worth of stock footage, gives us an insight into the ups and downs of the life of Ozzy Osbourne, the world famous rock star who found fame in the band Black Sabbath, and solo. He started as a regular young man in Birmingham, England, and grew up to become a tearaway, and then of course he entered the music industry, and during the 1970's and 1980's he was one of the biggest names in rock. Ozzy also found happiness when his manager Sharon and he married and had three children together, Aimee (the one hardly anyone knows), Kelly and Jack, but of course his personal life was difficult when he delved into the seemingly impossible to escape world of drugs and alcohol. With his addictions becoming increasingly addictive, he found himself unable to remember his actions, and worst of all he would become dangerously violent, to the point where he was arrested for attempting to kill Sharon. Finally though, with the help of rehabilitation and his family's support, Ozzy managed to get away from the drugs and alcohol, and has been clean for years, and with a good happy life, and this documentary sees him celebrate his 60th birthday. With interviews from Ozzy himself, Sharon, Aimee, Kelly, Jack, Tommy Lee, Paul McCartney, Louis Osbourne - Ozzy's brother, Paul Osbourne - Ozzy's brother, and Ozzy's three sisters. Good!

This is a great combo of awesome ozzy music, from the early sabbath days right up to current solo ozzy, and the story of his life. It outlines ozzy's youth, the formation and his later sacking from black sabbath, and his amazing comeback as a solo artist. It makes you really realise how amazing it was that he was able to make such a comeback after such a low point in his life.The movie also gives the story behind ozzy biting the heads off bats, the death of randy rhoads,his attempted murder of sharon and his addiction (and eventual recovery). I was enthralled the whole time. Not sure if people who are not ozzy fans would enjoy it, but I absolutely loved it.