Rating: 
Summary: 4 stars sober - 5 stars drunk
Review: I came upon this documentary totally by accident. After 10 mins I thought I made a big mistake. First, I could hardly understand him. Second, he is drunk most of the film. I confess knowing little about Shane and the Pogues history, so this caught me by surprise. To his fans, this is no biggee. But I gradually got pulled into the story - both his life and his music. By end of film I was sold. A great story & facinating man. Just when you think all his brain cells are gone, he says or does something that surprises you. And the music is fun too. I'm now buying his old albums (best of) and a solo effort (the snake), and many of the songs are featured on this dvd. As I have told many friends, Shane is a combination of Keith Richards, Tom Waits, and Ozzy Osborne, all rolled into one. No kidding. Bottom line, you'll either love it or scratch your head and say "who the hell is this sorry bastard! Most of the interviews drunk and chain smoking (note the yellow fingers). And a laugh that sounds like a tire going flat....but all I can say is I started out rating it one star, and ended up giving it four. After a few whiskeys I give it a 5. Check it out!
Rating:
Summary: 4 stars sober - 5 stars drunk
Review: I came upon this documentary totally by accident. After 10 mins I thought I made a big mistake. First, I could hardly understand him. Second, he is drunk most of the film. I confess knowing little about Shane and the Pogues history, so this caught me by surprise. To his fans, this is no biggee. But I gradually got pulled into the story - both his life and his music. By end of film I was sold. A great story & facinating man. Just when you think all his brain cells are gone, he says or does something that surprises you. And the music is fun too. I'm now buying his old albums (best of) and a solo effort (the snake), and many of the songs are featured on this dvd. As I have told many friends, Shane is a combination of Keith Richards, Tom Waits, and Ozzy Osborne, all rolled into one. No kidding. Bottom line, you'll either love it or scratch your head and say "who the hell is this sorry bastard! Most of the interviews drunk and chain smoking (note the yellow fingers). And a laugh that sounds like a tire going flat....but all I can say is I started out rating it one star, and ended up giving it four. After a few whiskeys I give it a 5. Check it out!
Rating: 
Summary: A Great Documentary
Review: I certainly wish I owned this DVD, however I first saw the film on Sundance, I was fairly unaware of it although I am a huge Pogues fan. So I think all should see it, enjoy the music, and I shall soon purchase it as all else should do...
Rating:
Summary: great film
Review: I have never changed my mind about a person so many times. I have watched it at least ten times and always see something different and always feel something different.
Nick Cave extra stuff is a bore, but the film is mesmerizing.
This is honest and therefore difficult stuff. Did our loving the Pogues egg him on to be the sot he is?
Brilliantly made film, buy it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Story, Great Music
Review: I have to say I have only very recently discovered the music of The Pogues/Shane Macgowan (some 20 years down the line, but better late than never). I have always had a healthy respect for Irish music (in different forms), and theirs is certainly different. This is an excellent presentation of Shane's life (with and without the Pogues) with many insightful interviews with family and friends, as well as some outstanding music clips and videos I had never seen. Interviews with the man himself reveal much more than what you see on the surface. On the one hand, it's sad to see someone in the constant state he's in, which ranges from tipsy to downright bombed. On the other hand, he still has a fairly quick wit and some really great memories to share. One would hope that he's still got some tunes in him somewhere, although he hasn't put out any new material in about 7 years. He seems to have patched up his differences with his former mates, The Pogues, and does the occasional tour with them as well. How much longer will he be with us? Only God knows!
Rating:
Summary: Certainly spins the yarn
Review: If I Should Fall From Grace is a great in-depth look at a man with the beautiful soul of an Irish poet combined with the arrested development of a London punk. We are of course, speaking of the one and only Shane Macgowan. Through much of the documentary it is quite obvious that our subject is teetering on the edge of passing out, but that doesn't prevent him from some brilliant moments of clarity and poetic commentary. The documentary takes us through Shane's early days as a troublemaker at school, abusing pain pills, and eventually dropping out to later form the Nips (shortened from their true name so as not to appear sexist) where he fist began performing in England. Next we move on to the earliest days of the pogues and the real meat & potatoes of their repetoire. Shane and the other commentators give insight to how the songs came about, their production, and the eventual toll touring took on the band's health. Next we move onto the Pogues at their peak, the "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" era, which is treated just as so in the film. Then begins the rapid decline of Shane's health, the band breaks up, yadda-yadda-yadda. Differing viewpoints are given, but nevertheless, Shane was put out to pasture. While the film is chock full of great music videos and live performances with and without the Pogues, I feel that the director did not give any time to Shane's new band, the Popes. I had the pleasure of seeing them perform at Guinness Fleadh '98, and they are an equally vibrant band that seems to fit well with Shane's continuing self-abuse through chemistry. Perhaps their inclusion would have merely reinforced Shane's continued debauchery, but interviewing ex-Pogues, and none of the current line-up makes the film feel somewhat incomplete. Nick Cave's commentary throughout the film was probably the most brilliant of all offerings, especially as we see Shane skipping lines and even nearly whole songs altogether (in bits & pieces) in the latter quarter of the film. Interspliced throughout the film are bits of "Shane about town". Some scenes are very moving, in that he hasn't forgotten the down-and-out, or his family. Still, the film, especially the end, plays like a reason not to abuse substances. All-in-all, I highly recommend this film. The good, the bad, and certainly the ugly are all rolled into one. If you're a lover of all things Irish, the story of Shane Macgowan is not one to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Shane Fan
Review: Shane MacGowan is the stuff that legends are made of, a cockroach surviving his own torment, and letting souls such as myself, an alien to his world get an inside view. I was turned on to the Pogues in graduate school, and instantly fell in love. Shaney Mac's growling gravel voice has gone from somewhat clear to grunting, but I still love him. He can carry a tune like no other, his Irish is unique and haunting. Not always embraced, but easy to be around, scarry at times, but that's the attraction, isn't it. This dvd is an awesome journey into Shane's world, you get background life story, music, and coming full circle you see what the man has become, and wish that he had taken better care of himself, because you mourn for all that could be. I don't know how long we will have Mr. MacGowan, but as a fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this dvd, and would reccomend it without hesitation. Just make sure you are ready to be entertained, and please, do not moan about his voice or his life as I have heard so many others do, just enjoy it for what it is. If you're not a fan of his music, you might not get him. If you are, you're in for a treat. There was a great BBC special done on Shane called The Great Hunger, if you get the chance to view, I highly reccomend it. This dvd goes into much more detail and background, more interviews. Shane MacGowan is a cult classic. I am hoping they will release the BBC interview on dvd some day.
Rating:
Summary: Shane Fan
Review: Shane MacGowan is the stuff that legends are made of, a cockroach surviving his own torment, and letting souls such as myself, an alien to his world get an inside view. I was turned on to the Pogues in graduate school, and instantly fell in love. Shaney Mac's growling gravel voice has gone from somewhat clear to grunting, but I still love him. He can carry a tune like no other, his Irish is unique and haunting. Not always embraced, but easy to be around, scarry at times, but that's the attraction, isn't it. This dvd is an awesome journey into Shane's world, you get background life story, music, and coming full circle you see what the man has become, and wish that he had taken better care of himself, because you mourn for all that could be. I don't know how long we will have Mr. MacGowan, but as a fan, I thoroughly enjoyed this dvd, and would reccomend it without hesitation. Just make sure you are ready to be entertained, and please, do not moan about his voice or his life as I have heard so many others do, just enjoy it for what it is. If you're not a fan of his music, you might not get him. If you are, you're in for a treat. There was a great BBC special done on Shane called The Great Hunger, if you get the chance to view, I highly reccomend it. This dvd goes into much more detail and background, more interviews. Shane MacGowan is a cult classic. I am hoping they will release the BBC interview on dvd some day.
Rating:
Summary: A TESTAMENT TO TRUE GENIUS!! AND GREAT COMEDY!!
Review: This documentary is a must for fans of Shane MacGowan. One tip for maximum enjoyment - engage the English subtitles or Closed Captioning on your tv; this is as essential for understanding Shane's slurred garble as the Ozzy translator on the Osbournes DVD!! By the way MacGowan's Reality Show would put the Osbournes to shame - hear that MTV?? Witness Shane as he empties his wallet for a homeless guy, or doing his satanic impression of "The so obviously Irish, Johnny Rotten" singing "God Save The Queen". Listen to him defend his right to be a junky against Sinead O'Connor's public accusations. Features interviews with former Pogues members and road manager, Shane's squeeze - Victoria Clarke, his parents and grandmother, Nick Cave, plenty with Shane MacGowan, and more - interspursed with live and music video footage of Pogues, Popes, and MacGowan in various duets. Much talk on the subject of drinking... DVD extras are to include a "Sing-Along" feature, plus more interviews with MacGowan and Cave, as well as Paul Simenon of The Clash, and Philip Chevron...By the way this has recently aired on Sundance Channel with the DVD extras shown after the film; keep an eye out for a possible rebroadcast. This documentary is a testament to the true genius of Shane MacGowan - and a very funny film to boot.
Rating:
Summary: Very ejoyable
Review: This film covers the brighter and darker side of this punk junkie. Very good conversation, and that horrific laugh of Shane also can be captured in the movie.
Worth to see and worth to buy!!! Highly recommended for The Pogues and Shane fans!!!
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