“Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind” is an electrifying glimpse into the complex life and thrilling, unparalleled performances of rock and roll's first and wildest practitioner: Jerry Lee Lewis.
The archival music documentary presents its subject as an enigma and a force of nature, a rock ’n’ roller whose passion and demons fueled his volcanic music.
For his first solo directing project, Ethan Coen draws from existing interviews and performance footage to create a portrait of what is so mythic about the 86-year-old legend — and also what remains so vexing. Still, Coen reserves judgement, the collected materials serving as a testament to Lewis’ unapologetic resilience.
The film lets Lewis speak for himself, selecting filmed interviews he has given at different stages of his career to form the story’s spine. These segments are combined with performance clips as we see Lewis at varying ages doing fiery renditions of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”, “Great Balls Of Fire” and other hits.