Searching for Sugar Man

Searching for Sugar Man is a 2012 documentary film directed by Malik Bendjelloul.




Synopsis: Sixto Rodriguez was a protest/folk/activist singer in the early 1970s. He released two albums that didn’t sell well in the U.S., gave up on a music career and continued living in Detroit as an unknown, working construction and looking after his family. However, his music became wildly popular in South Africa, where his albums went platinum and his songs served as inspiration during Apartheid. Little was known about the singer/songwriter known only Rodriguez, and he was rumored to have died, either by drug overdose or suicide.

Two South African fans, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman and Craig Strydom, decide to find out more about their mysterious musical hero. Surprise! Rodriguez is alive and well and still living a quiet, working class life in Detroit. Segerman and Strydom bring him and his family to South Africa, where he performs several concerts in front of huge, adoring crowds. He then returns to his nondescript Detroit life.



Review: I have a confession. I watched this movie last night, and, for some reason, I thought it was a faux documentary, a mockumentary. Why? I’m a ginormous goober, and I don’t like to read about movies before I watch them. I thought it was a pretty dang good fictional film. Then, after watching it, I hit the internet and found out it was an actual documentary. In fact, it won a ton of awards, including the Oscar for Best Documentary 2012. Surprise!

This is a beautiful film. An amazing story. Rodriguez is a fascinating character, and his music, and the story of the effect it had on people far way, will resonate with anyone who watches it. See it. It will surprise and delight you.

Especially now that you know it’s a true story. Unlike your trusty reviewer here. Sigh.



Random little known fact: Parts of the documentary were filmed on an iPhone using and app, 8mm Vintage Camera.



WUB rating: Five out of five WUBs. As a fictional story, I would have given it four WUBs. Again, surprise!



Sugar man, you’re the answer that makes my questions disappear. . .



See you in my Netflix queue!