As impressive as Vasco Rossi’s life was, it’s hard to connect to someone you haven’t heard of, which is probably why this docuseries is best seen by die-hard music fans alone. The series takes its time to introduce Rossi and explain his impact on Italian music, but even then, it can seem like something you’ve seen before. The documentary shies away from the cultural specificities and nuances that make Rossi the singular musician that he is, attempting instead to generalize his life into clear-cut sections as if it were a book. Even with Rossi present and narrating many parts of the series, it still lacks the ruggedness and spikiness that made Rossi’s music burst with relevance in the late 20th century. There is a sense that the filmmakers created this series with an international audience in mind, but by making his story as general and universal as possible, they might have inadvertently diluted Rossi’s power.
Synopsis
Italy's most beloved rock star Vasco Rossi grants unprecedented access to intimate details of his personal life and successful career over the decades.
Storyline
Vasco Rossi, the Italian rockstar who produced more than 30 albums in his lifetime—many of them controversial—recounts the highs and lows of his unbelievable life in this five-part docuseries.
TLDR
Unless you’re a hardcore fan of rock or Italian music, you won’t find much to relate to here.
What stands out
Inarguably, the music. A rebel rouser and a poet, Rossi was the voice of his generation. He often made pointed, controversial remarks about youth and society, at times even touching on geopolitics, and this is all reflected in the rousing and razor-sharp music he created. If only the series matched Rossi’s songs, then it would’ve been a more exciting and urgent watch.
