Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately?

(dir. Amy Scott)

By: Dave Hughes

In the early 90s, grunge was king. Bands like Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam led the charge, defining the era's sound. While Counting Crows didn’t fit the grunge mold, they were vital players in that decade's rock renaissance. Their hit single 'Mr. Jones' established them as radio staples and propelled their debut album, August and Everything After, to multi-platinum success. The documentary Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? chronicles this whirlwind period and the band's daunting attempt to follow up on that monumental debut.

Director Amy Scott makes it clear that while this is a Counting Crows documentary, Adam Duritz is its undeniable center of gravity. As much as the film chronicles the music, it is primarily interested in Duritz’s mental health struggles, specifically the toll taken by sudden celebrity. His internal battle becomes the driving force of the band's early career and provides the documentary with its most resonant theme: the high price of fame on a fragile psyche.

Throughout his career, Duritz has often been portrayed as difficult to work with. Amy Scott explores this theme by giving him a platform to finally explain his side of several infamous stories. Whether he was navigating his odd, bar tending sabbatical in between records or battling with Saturday Night Live over the setlist, Duritz explains in detail his need for control over a craft that was deeply personal to him. More often than not, the film vindicates him through archival footage and supporting interviews. In particular, the segment on the Saturday Night Live performance is incredibly powerful. It captures the raw intensity that supercharged the band's rise in the early 90s.

Surrounding Duritz are his bandmates and fellow musicians who have supported him throughout his career. Their stories often highlight the frustration of working with the, at times irascible, frontman. The audience can clearly see how difficult Duritz could be during his most obstinate moments. However, it is fascinating to hear their accounts and realize that while he was challenging, his musical vision was almost always worthwhile. Long-time members Charlie Gillingham and David Bryson share candid stories of the recording process. They describe sessions where songs would require more than 100 takes just to satisfy the specific vision Duritz held in his head.

It is also impossible to talk about Counting Crows without acknowledging their evolution beyond August and Everything After. The second half of the film tackles this transition and the immense pressure the band felt to follow up their debut. Duritz poured his heart and soul into the successor album, Recovering the Satellites. When it was met with mixed critical praise, the reaction affected him tremendously. While fans eventually grew to love the record, it did not receive that level of adoration out of the gate. This moment seemingly forced Duritz to look inward and finally confront his mental health issues. In a symbolic move toward healing, Duritz chose to cut off his iconic dreadlocks, signaling a new chapter of self-acceptance to the audience.

Target Score: 9/10 Fans of 90s nostalgia and Counting Crows are sure to appreciate Have You Seen Me Lately? as a retrospective into a time long past. From the stratospheric success of 'Mr. Jones' to the fallout of fame, Duritz’s story gives the audience an unflinching look at the price of celebrity and the courage required to cope with one’s own mental health.