Truly Dreadful Film

Better Late Then Never

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This film is more than a documentary and more than a live memorial concert. It is a profoundly moving experience, the story of a musical family and how their love and expression of music bound them together throughout the exhilarating and trying ups and downs of their lives. Though centered on the life and music of singer/songwriter Kate McGarrigle, it also covers her children, Martha and Rufus Wainwright, their father Loudon Wainwright III, and Kate's sister Anna. The live performances of such classic McGarrigle songs as Heart Like A Wheel, Talk to Me of Mendocino, and The Work Song are lovingly shot with emphasis of the close relationships on the singers and their love for Kate McGarrigle's words, music and life. An intensely involving and deeply emotional expression of creative beauty.

I went to watch this with a friend at the International Film Festival in Berlin. She knew Kate McGarrigle, but I had no idea who that was supposed to be. The "documentary" (it's essentially a concert show that got filmed) is fine indeed. And there was a very personal Q&A after the movie was screened too (pretty sure you can find footage of that somewhere on the internet).You can't rate this like a conventional movie then. It is a concert and while I was afraid I might get bored watching this (during the festival I did watch 3-5 movies a day), that didn't happen. But you should like the music she was making, otherwise you won't have a good time, that is for sure! So if you don't know her either, look her up, if she sounds interesting, watch this and enjoy