“Hit So Hard” is out of the hole in a rockumentary
Review by Jenny Alvarez
Photo Courtesy
Hit So Hard follows the rise to fame (and the near-fatal fall from it) of Patty Schemel, drummer for Courtney Love’s seminal rock band, Hole. But just three years later, the drug-related deaths of several musicians, capped by the suicide of Kurt Cobain, closed the books on an all too brief era. In a Hi-8 video camera just before Hole’s infamous Live Through This world tour, Patty captured stunningly intimate footage of the scene that has never been seen… until now. Not just an all-access backstage pass to the music that shaped a generation, Hit So Hard is a harrowing tale of overnight success, the cost of addiction, and ultimately, recovery and redemption.
Although this movie reflects all drummer’s career and struggles with addiction and how many people might be tempted into seeing the film for: namely, Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. Much of Schemel’s early time with the group is focused more on Cobain than on her, and while it absolutely provides an intriguing look at an icon of music, it feels like something that would have better belonged in it’s own film, perhaps as a companion to this one. Like a minor rockumentary is very well constructed especially when Patty Schemel, the acclaimed drummer for Courtney Love’s seminal rock band Hole, reflecting her own world of sunshine, this is highly recommend for those who enjoy drummers and women musicians, now is available in some American movie theaters since April 20th.
