Once Were Brothers – 4.5

Robbie Robertson may be a great musician, but as a documentary narrator he is ponderous. As in Ain’t Too Proud to Beg, the story of a five-man band suffers from being told solely from one member’s perspective. Performance clips breathe some life into the film, but with only one great song to The Band’s credit, they’re not enough. The final clip, of Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” made me wish I’d spent the time watching The Last Waltz instead.