Searching for Sugar Man

It can happen to you if you're young at heart
The most striking thing of the many striking things in Searching for Sugar Man is the personality of Rodriguez himself. Unspoiled, not bitter, undimmed perceptions, and the continued passion for his craft all make a huge imprint on the viewer. And of course, it is all the more impressive because he spent 30 years in demolition and cleanup instead of filling our minds and souls with his remarkable music. The story is too crazy to be made up; no one would see it if it were a piece of fiction, unless it was written by Kurt Vonnegut or Douglas Adams. But it is a true story, a gripping story, and a rewarding story. The story of a wonderful human being and a remarkable father. A feel good documentary which alone makes it a near impossibility. There is only one qualifier you will notice again and again in reference to Searching for Sugar Man: must see.

Stranger than fiction: a MUST-SEE documentary
"Searching for Sugar Man" (2012 release; 85 min.) brings the unlikely but true story of how, Rodriguez, an obscure American musician who released 2 never-heard albums in the early 1970s became a music sensation in South Africa. As a music nerd, this became even more compelling as I will admit I had never heard of Rodriguez before.

The first half of the movie centers around the efforts of two South African men in the music business, both fan of and curious about the mysterious Rodriguez to simply find out more about this guy. The movie then traces the beginnings of Rodriguez in the late 60s in Detroit (with archive footage of the city at that time, not much better than it is now, just haunting) and how Rodriguez's 1970 debut album "Cold Fact" first became an underground hit in South Africa at the height of the apartheid regime (with songs like "The Establishment Blues") and eventually became a genuine hit album. It is about midway through the movie that we are introduced to...

Amazing Story
As a South African raised, with almost all my friends, on the music of Rodriguez it is almost impossible to believe that such a talent remained unrecognised in his home country.
This film goes some way to explaining it, but only some way. See it and buy "Cold Fact"; better late than never.

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