Kanye’s demands for the final cut on Jeen-yuhsThis makes Sundance’s premiere even more exciting.
Clarence directed the three-part Netflix documentary “Coodie”Chike Ozah’s Chike Simmons is raw, rambling, riveting in equal measure. The press screener – labeled ‘Work In Progress’ – features previously unseen footage from 21 years of the performing artist’s life. It’s far from an exhaustive biography, but it offers an intriguing insight into hip hop, fame, race, grief, mental health and perhaps most of all, friendship.
Act 1: “Vision”, Coodie’s voiceover veers between interesting and intrusive as he narrates the process of making the documentary through the prism of his relationship with Kanye.
“He knew it would take a lot for him to earn people’s respect as a rapper,”He says this as he watches the young producer hawk his products at record companies. Coodie and Ozah keep the camera rolling during late-night recording sessions, car journeys and parties, capturing a good number of monologues that demonstrate the young Kanye West’s self-belief – though these seem more self-aware in the early days.
“Doing this documentary right now, it’s a little narcissistic or whatever, but f**k it,”He says. Later, he declares, “I might be living your American Dream, but I’m nowhere near where my dream is.”
A visit to Kanye’s effervescent mother, Donda, causes Coodie to muse on her part in fostering this unwavering ambition. But like much of his narration, that didn’t really need to be said: her pride and influence radiate from the screen in both Act I and Act II: “Purpose”. When her tragic death is announced in Act III, Donda’s absence is felt deeply. Coodie has become increasingly distant from Donda, and is now relegated to sharing moments with him after a successful night at Grammys rather that following his every move.
Entitled “Awakening”Act III is more dependent on news and TV footage. However, it skips over most of the headlines in order to focus on the few moments Coodie reunites in the lead up to his 2020 presidential campaign. There’s a disturbing scene where Kanye rants almost incoherently during a meeting, referring to bipolar medication. Coodie explained that he decided to turn off the camera because he didn’t feel comfortable filming it, which makes it rather ironic. However, Coodie still appears sincere in his affection. “He always seemed to be in his best spirits when he was creating,” he says of his friend, and there’s love in his voice, albeit with a hint of wounded abandonment.
While we see Kanye with a long list of names, from Dame Dash to Takashi Murakami to Justin Bieber, there’s not a great deal of insight into his creative process; less still into his relationships with women. Ex wife Kim Kardashian is only mentioned briefly, as a factor in him canceling a tour, and we don’t see him with a girlfriend at any point. Coodie is talking about the birth of his son, but Donda is the only real mother in this film.
This documentary will be enjoyed by many people. There are hilarious moments, bizarre moments, funny moments and even some very scrappy ones. I found myself oscillating between admiration, amusement and disdain, as well as frustration at what wasn’t being shown. The most lasting emotion was pity. This portrays Kanye incompletely but sympathetically, suggesting that behind the bravado he’s a little lost and vulnerable – while never short of words.
The Netflix documentary “The Netflix Documentary” debuts on the site on February 16.