User reviews

First half of this documentary was interesting, informative and offers viewers a great deal of background info using unique film techniques that worked really well.

In the FIRST HALF of the film interviews with the band members were honest and provided thought provoking context for the various story lines.

However viewers should keep in mind that this documentary was produced by the band and its founding members...

So we only get one perspective.

The one the band wanted us to see and hear.

The result is a great deal of score settling in the second half of the documentary that goes unchallenged.

The lone exception was Drummer Danny Seraphine who deserves high praise for his openness and honesty throughout.

Bottom line...Impartial or objective are not terms to associate with this film.

BUT Having said all that, The first half is a great watch.

I can see where some of those familiar with the history of the band Chicago might take issue with how the documentary was presented. While most of the documentary seemed reasonably accurate, there were a few of the stories that didn't seem to jibe with what I remember. Specifically the departure of drummer Danny Seraphine.

For those unfamiliar with Chicago, this documentary is useful for bringing those viewers up to speed. From their beginning to their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, viewers are able to get an idea how the band has evolved over the last 50 years.

I would highly recommend this documentary to anyone who wants to know who the band Chicago is.

I was happy for the forthrightness of all those who participated in this. Sad that Donnie Dacus, Bill Champlin, and Peter Cetera decided not to be part of it. I think their honest recollections and opinions would have been portrayed (the guys don't hold back on talking about reckless behavior and squabbles, and David Foster's ego is not tempered one bit). The best part was the proper due given to Chris Pinnick. I did not know his tenure lasted beyond the making of the 14th album. Great. But not a word - not one single word - about Laudir de Oliveira. He was a fulltime band member from '75 to '82, and even participated in the studio for a couple of years before attaining that status. Sad to say he passed away about six months ago, only the second Chicago member to be gone. I know there's only so much time in a documentary, and only so many things to be covered, but come on - he was a full-on band mate and should have his due.

This is a documentary I've been wanting to see for a while because I really like Chicago's music and this serves as a vehicle for a better understanding of the band's creative input and output. Evidently, it doesn't help to fully understand the ups and downs of the relationships between all band members because not every member was involved in the making of this documentary nor with testimony to aid the band's story. So, considering how conflictingly the band parted ways with whom was the voice and face of the band, Mr. Peter Cetera along with the producer who co-wrote with Cetera some of the band's most successful tunes, this doesn't give you the full scope, because there is one side missing.

I like Chicago's 70's songs and the latter music of their career as well, so I'm not divided as many of their fans are. In the beginning of the documentary, I felt they were telling the story of their beginnings a little fast; and since I didn't know how the members looked in real life, I had a bit of trouble remembering who was who and what instrument each of them played. One thing I didn't particularly liked is that they didn't even named Peter Cetera until they got to If You Leave Me Now, I think that they should have introduced each of the members at the beginning.

There is a heart-warming tribute to Terry Kath, who contributed enormously to the band's sound in the early days with his technical guitar playing. Troubles begin when the film reaches the part where Chicago's musical direction changed. Since in this era of the band, Cetera's musical input was massive, it's inevitable for him to take center stage in this story, but his refusal to appear in the documentary leaves many questions unanswered and leaves it without a key point of view to understand the story better. So that is the main flaw this documentary has, it's only one side of the story, but it's a decent side, it's enough to understand how the majority of the members felt during the different stages they went through as the years went by. But I can't take their truth when it comes to absent members unless we get both sides of the same coin.

To be honest, it's hard not to enjoy the documentary, even if you don't think that it comes across as sincere, because it deals with the music of one of the greatest bands of all time, Chicago.

I saw this over the weekend and really liked it. I learned some things about Chicago and it's journey that I never knew before. I thought I already knew a lot but there was some good stuff here. My only concern is that this is produced by the band and directed by Lou Pardini's family member so it is not going to be completely objective. At the end of the day Chicago is a great band with a lot of big egos. The remaining members seem to down play Cetera's ability as a song writer and his contributions. Cetera is an excellent song writer and had one of the best voices in the business. Clearly Foster took them in a different direction but it seemed like it was a good decision at the time. The really needed a change up in my opinion. I am disappointed Cetera couldn't check his ego at the door and perform at the Hall of Fame. That would have been amazing. I also thought Bill Champlin was overlooked in the movie. I know he didn't want to participate but the founders acted like he didn't have much to offer. Interesting that since this documentary was made that Jason Scheff was also fired. So other than Lamm, Pankow, Loughnane, and Parazaider. Chicago will always be my favorite group but it is too bad that all of the ego's ended up crushing the stage.

1/9/18. A good rockumentary that looked at the evolution of the rock band with horns, Chicago. They came out with some memorable hits over the years that were somewhat highlighted in this movie. Mostly, it was the long-time members of the group reminiscing about the good ole days. I did detect a bit of envy on most of the members regarding Peter Cetera, who was a fantastic front man. But, as a group, they didn't want a front man. Too bad. Aside from this, this documentary was watchable and good.

Well edited and fun story about America's greatest rock band. Covers their birth and heyday extensively. Fairly discusses their troubles after the death of Terry Kath.

It is also completely accurate in the discussion of Peter Cetera. Although his voice was key to many of their hits, including some of their biggest sellers, he was not a driving force of the band, and if anything is a major reason why it took them so long to get into the Rock Hall. He took them from being a great rock band and made them into Toto.

Champlin was with them during their least successful period and no Chicago fan barely even knows who he was.

It would have been nice to have a bit more about their lean years, since they still toured, or something about their recent albums, but in all honesty, what makes them great is their early work anyway, for which alone they are better than most of the acts that got into the Rock Hall before them.

Caveat. I'm watching a movie about a rock / jazz - band / ensemble for the music. You get a lot of real Chicago music in this documentary. Perfect. So you have to sift through the back story and the requisite infighting amongst band members and, of course, being ripped off by the first producer / promoter ... Whatever. The music of this band is magnifique. Enjoy.

A wonderful doc on the seminal band of the Midwest who through nearly 50 years of touring, recording & multiple band member changes still endure, playing nearly a hundred dates a year. Going through the usual motions of the trajectory of most 70's bands, drug addiction, audiences (or lack there of), musical tastes that evolve & accidental deaths, we get a mouthful of tastes of what the group had to put up with. If you love their music, which I do, then you'll be visiting hallowed 'VH1 Behind the Music' territory w/a big grin on your face.

I'm a huge fan of the band Chicago, mainly of the 1968-1978 output. The combination of jazz, rock and pop was uncanny, and the band wasn't afraid to try out new things that were uncomfortable at times. I was looking forward to this documentary, to learn about the various band members, the different variations of the band and how some of their big songs were composed. What we get instead is a biased view from the four remaining original members, who seem defensive of where they are today.

I enjoyed the tribute to Terry Kath, easily the heart and soul of this band, whose death changed everything. The man was a guitar legend, and seemingly underrated compared to most of this time frame. Jimi Hendrix himself called him the best guitar player of the time, even better than himself! Kath also had a soulful growl, similar to Ray Charles, that gave their sound an R&B flavor. It was fun to learn about the early days, from forming in the namesake city to moving out to L.A. living in squalor to creating albums at a retreat in Colorado, where anything and everything was allowed (sex, drugs, rock and roll). However, we lose Kath to a gun accident, and the band never fully recovered. They lost their label and their direction. Eventually, they would get resigned and start working with David Foster. This period is very polarizing to fans. Some think this was Chicago at their best, others thought the band was too slick, too focused on ballads and Peter Cetera. Danny Seraphine admitted he was the one who pushed them towards Foster, and Foster even admits he might have changed the band too much. Lamm considered leaving the band at this time, and Cetera soon would when the band wouldn't allow him time to work on a solo album. Shortly after, Seraphine would get canned when his drumming deteriorated due to his focus on the more managerial aspects of the band. The four others don't seem to have nice things to say about Cetera or Seraphine. They say Cetera "wasn't that important" to the band, regardless of the fact he was one of their main lead singers and created many of their important singles. They make Seraphine's replacement seem like such a better drummer, which is completely false. These remaining members seem bitter and grumpy about things, and it's really too bad.

The better name for this film should have been "how a great band turned into an oldies act and can't let go of things." Disappointing.

This is a great film, very enjoyable to watch. Music is great, and I learned quite a lot about this iconic band!

Excerpt from review at HornBandReviews.Com:

To great fanfare and anticipation Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago premiered on CNN on New Year's Day. Filmmaker Peter Pardini and Chicago have collectively produced a definitive history of the band, extensive enough to delight long-time fans and concise enough to tell their story to a wider audience and for the posterity of rock and roll history. This film cuts through the mystery and the myth, and to tell the tale Pardini intersperses vintage footage and photographs with original interviews and stylized cinematic recreations. Earlier in the year, the film debuted at several festivals, winning the "Best of Fest" audience choice award at its debut at the 2016 Sedona International Film Festival and also the People's Choice award at the Fort Myers Film Festival. A release on disc with bonus materials is forthcoming. Since its showing at the festivals, the film been updated to reflect Chicago's long overdue 2016 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Now More Than Ever transcends the genre of rock documentaries. Most importantly, the film retains focus on why their story is important and compelling: the quality of Chicago's entire catalog of music and their bond as a band of brothers. Peter Pardini brought a refreshing perspective to documenting Chicago's history on screen. He is the nephew of Chicago's keyboardist and vocalist Lou Pardini and has worked with the band on projects for the past five years. Chicago's sound engineer Tim Jessup took the film from the theater to our living rooms by mixing it in stereo specifically for the CNN Films broadcast. Those who saw it at the festivals were treated to the full 5.1 surround sound mix, and it is hoped that the 5.1 mix will be available when the film is released on disc so audiophiles can hear the soundtrack as it sounded in theaters.

A culmination of three and one-half years of work by a dedicated team pays off in a forever endearing and glorious ride through the history of a great American rock band. The editing of the vintage footage, a perfectly paced narrative, and recreations elevate the film to cinematic grace. Pardini's possesses a delicate sense of perspective, creating the effect of the viewer as a fly-on-the-wall for the most iconic and prescient moments...

From Robert Lamm, Jimmy Pankow, Walter Parazaider, and (especially) Lee Loughnane, we see their honest emotions, their humor, their strength as people who have been tested and came out stronger, and, in the end, the grace of their years is touching. It is now forever impossible to call them a band without a face...

Chicago always spoke to me across time, dusty records found in old crates and at tag sales, intriguing because their music was so unlike anything else I had heard and yet unknowable because there was so little of substance written about them before the digital age. My experience as someone two generations removed from the classic era of Chicago meant that most of their history is new to me. It was a different time when they were a young band, when music was a social experience and Chicago Transit Authority spread via word of mouth and FM radio on campuses, the old school version of "going viral." I was thrilled with the additional insight into Ballet For A Girl In Buchannon, "a series of classical movement sewn together" in Jimmy's words, all the movements except Colour My World originally conceived with Baroque titles. I can also imagine all the inspiring words in Robert Lamm's lyric book that maybe never made it to record. Lee's early feelings, fearing fame and feeling inadequate as compared to his bandmates, tells something about his current drive and dedication to his trumpet and also about the quality of music for which Chicago has always been known. Yet, with all the romanticism of the past, I felt a sense of admiration for the men they are now.

Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago is a compelling lesson in talent, ambition, adaptation, group dynamics, hardship and terrible loss. Out of one tragedy comes an affirmation of life, and that is the grace of the men who carry on the legacy of their brother Terry Kath. Ultimately, Chicago's story is one of perseverance and rebirth. It would be ever more heartwarming should this film introduce another generation to Chicago's artistry and break down the misconceptions of them as merely a ballad band or something belonging to your parents. With the wide reach of CNN, that transmission has surely happened already. I wholeheartedly recommend this film to fans of all ages and also as an introduction to those beyond their loyal fanbase. Any musician will learn from their story what it takes to stay grounded in a musical vision while being dynamic and flexible at the same time.

Congratulations to Peter Pardini, Chicago's wunderkind filmmaker, for letting this story tell itself and creating a comprehensive and exhilarating historical overview in one gorgeous film. Thank you Lee, Robert, Jimmy, and Walter for your wisdom, for dedicating yourselves to the music you share with us, and all the sacrifices it entails. In the end, we learned the story from the only people qualified to tell it, Chicago themselves. While recording the Chicago Transit Authority album, Walter said, "this is gonna be forever." Amen to that.

I have read several of the reviews, and being very opinionated on the rise and fall and rise again of one of worlds longest tenured musical acts, I must admit I disagree with those who have not been able to grow with the band regardless of changes in music and personnel. I think there's probably a reason that bands with the legacy such as Chicago, probably do not enter into a documentary type setting, I mean 50 years of success is also going to give you 50 years of experiences, some good, some bad and some unsettling. I would immediately challenge any filmmaker to attempt 50 years into two hours viewing experience and not cover everything associated with a bands success and failures. Every film is a work of art and expression, no one is attempting to alter a single person's opinions. In a documentary setting, the filmmaker is trying to educate you and enlighten you and entertain you, all of those things so eloquently captured by Peter Pardini in this never attempted before reveal of 50 years of existence. Whether you enjoyed the two hour experience, is irrelevant.... this documentary is Chicago, from their humble beginnings 50 years ago to internal strife and tragedy, to today.... The success that this band enjoys today is directly related to all it has experienced over 50 years, it is called perseverance. Egos and brotherhoods on a team or Entertainment act are often fractured sometimes destroyed beyond repair and the fans often don't want to recognize that, Credit Mr. Pardini for his honest and forth with discussions and approaches instead of attempting to sugarcoat some situations. If you're a fan of Chicago then you cannot not enjoy this glimpse into the 50 year marriage of this band.

This is a film made by the remaining members of the Chicago. The first half will thrill any Chicago fan, great live performances, the stories behind some iconic Chicago tunes, a wonderful tribute to Terry Kath, but as the movie progresses, the band felt the need to trash most former members. This is a shame because the music they made was special and while the remaining members put on a good live show, the music made since Danny, Peter and Bill left does not live up to the legacy they ALL created! I think it was very classy of Danny to be interviewed but Bill, Peter and JWC have all been conspicuously absent from the band recently and it says a LOT that they refused to participate in the film.

Like the band's musical legacy, the first half of the film is a solid 10, the second half, is a lackluster 2.

Perfect film with absolutely zero flaws. Peter Pardini has done it again. I didn't know Chicago was both a band and a city. This documentary was both entertaining and educational. One time, I had a long layover in Chicago and it kind of soured me on everything Chicago, the city, the band, I even had second thoughts about Obama, but this documentary changed everything! I now love everything Chicago. At first, I was like when is Catherine Zeta Jones going to show up, but once the shock of that wore off, this film really touched me. Have you guys seen Hell or High Water yet? I liked it a lot, kind of like this movie! PP is truly a transcendent cinematic story-teller.

First half of documentary was at least a bit objective and informative, second half, so much bragging of their own career, and what they've accomplished. Could have said, rightly so, they've earned it, but there are ways to do it, the way it was done in this documentary was wrong.

I wish someone would make a real documentary about this band. This so-called documentary, that originally ran on CNN, was directed and edited by Peter Pardini, whose uncle Lou Pardini has been a member of Chicago since 2009. Not exactly the independent journalistic standard I'd want from a documentary. It's difficult enough to trust documentaries when they're made by people who are independent from the documentary's subject, but a documentary by a band member's nephew is not a documentary. And they buried the fact that it was made by a band member's nephew. CNN should've known journalistic standards dictate that information be presented right up front in bold letters. Don't get me wrong, it was enjoyable, but it's not trustworthy.

The director, writer and producer of this movie, Peter Pardini, is the nephew of Chicago's current keyboard player, Lou Pardini. The bias and defensiveness of the remaining (and less talented) band members is transparent from the first few minutes of the film (e.g., in opening lines like, "we are all replaceable."). Most big name bands have their arrogant member or two but usually it's the lead singer -- not the case here.

I'm unsure why CNN is involved in this flick. There's obviously a good story and some good material here, but rock docs like VH1 Behind the Scenes were more balanced and entertaining and usually left you wanting more. The first half of this doc is good, but after the band is turned into a shadow of itself, and studio guns take over some positions (drums), the story starts to feel like the current band -- just not that interesting but still full of itself.