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It seems like behind-the-scenes glimpses at music stars are somewhat of a trend these days; the documentaries Backstage and The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack join Almost Famous in exploring the musician's life on the road. Backstage follows the 1999 tour of the rap group Ruff Ryders, and Mary Draughon of Preview says there's no note of redemption here, just glamorized stardom: "The ghetto images of drugs, degrading sex and hustling, reflected in the rappers' music, seems to cling to their fame and fortune. The performers are shown spending their spare time smoking pot, drinking, gambling and spouting filthy expressions. … Two attractive girls stand stark naked at a party while these 'stars' fondle them."

The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack, however, delivers a human story about "an amazing and under-appreciated artist," says Movieguide. Written and directed by the daughter of Jack Elliott (protégé of Woodie Guthrie and mentor of Bob Dylan), the film is "a touching story seen through the eyes of a person who admires him and longs for his love and happiness. The Ballad of Ramblin' Jack was a delight, especially with Jack Elliot's dry wit thrown into the mix."

Singers also feature prominently in Duets, a story of three pairs of strangers—a hustler and his long-lost daughter, a burnt-out businessman and a career criminal, an ex-seminary student and a promiscuous woman—on their way to the karaoke championship in Omaha, Nebraska. Crosswalk.com's Michael Elliott says the film contains a great message but delivers it flatly. "The common element shared by these six characters is their need to break beyond the shackles of their current existence to fill a long-standing void in their life. Karaoke merely serves as a metaphor for the risks they must take to break free from whatever is binding them to a life of mediocrity and quiet resignation." But, Elliott adds, the story hinges on a plot twist that "lessens the sweet impact the film could have made with the various characters and their stories, and cheapens the overall production." Movieguide echoed that complaint, calling it "shallow and even unrealistic at times," but also found "a few funny moments and some decent acting … [as well as] some redeeming qualities to the characters." The U.S. Catholic Conference liked the "colorful characters," but ultimately felt it was a "superficial film where toe-tapping music and the carefree subculture of karaoke singers take precedence over exploring any serious issues raised."

The new release Bait didn't attract any critics. Although star Jamie Foxx drew compliments for his comedy, the violent action and moral choices of the film turned reviewers sour. "This film features wild action sequences and great comic timing, but miserable content," says Bob Smithouser of Focus on the Family. "[It's] quite violent in places, and operates under the false assumption that heroes can be ignoble so long as the bad guys are even worse." Foxx plays Alvin Sanders, a small-time crook whom the Feds use to lure a master criminal out of hiding. "Alvin's history of hustling gets a wink and a nod. … A few selfless gestures suggest that Alvin may want to go straight and accept responsibility for the child he sired out of wedlock. That's admirable, but it's hardly enough to redeem this profane gangsta fairy tale." Crosswalk.com's Michael Elliott was more impressed with Alvin's desire to change, touting the film as one "which can remind us that it is available to change for the better, when we make up our minds to do so." (However, it only qualifies as "passable entertainment," Elliott says.) The Dove Foundation's Phil Boatwright and Preview's John Evans disagreed over how well Bait blended its action and comedy. Evans finds that "Alvin's comical quips throughout the film make the intense scenes more bearable." Boatwright, though, complains that "the action turns grim in its savagery," and "in nearly every instance, the film's killings become inconsequential due to jokes."

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September (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44