Synopsis:  Most American cinephiles will know Eugene Hutz for his role as Elijah Wood’s Ukrainian tour guide in Everything is Illuminated.  Thanks to Margarita Jimeno’s documentary Gogol Bordello Non-Stop, American cinephiles  – and the music fans who knew better – will get to see his band, hear their music, and appreciate their socio-political messages.  More than just a concert film, Gogol Bordello Non-Stop explores the roots of the band (indeed, they come from five different nations) and how global identity and politics can shape music.  But if all you are looking for is a rocking good time, the frenetic energy of Gogol Bordello’s gypsy punk jams will more than satisfy your need and Jimeno’s brilliant and intimate camera work will make you feel like you’re in the pit with the fans.  And if you’re not one already, you’ll likely find yourself becoming one. 

Review:  Fifteen minutes into Gogol Bordello Non-Stop I hated it.  The film and gypsy punk was so far out of my comfort zone and sphere of experience that it was like watching a bad foreign film with no sub-titles.  I just didn’t get it. 

But ever so slowly, I started to understand.  I started to understand what gypsy punk is all about and I began to realize that Eugene Hutz, the lead singer for Gogol Bordello, isn’t some sort of escaped mental patient.  And once I understood, I started to like it.

The phenomenon of gypsy punk is new to me.  It appears to be the traditional music of Eastern Europe as played by the young (and not so young) refugees of former communist regimes.  It is fast-paced, loud, and full of energy and chaos.  The songs themselves contain lyrics critical of the former communist governments.  They are the musical equivalent of flipping the bird to the very people who formerly ruled the artists’ lives and countries with an iron fist. 

At times, I wondered what the filmmaker was trying to tell the audience about Eugene Hutz (the main character) and his life.  To me, much of the non-musical footage in the film seemed a little disjointed.  But the concert footage saved the day.  The on-stage energy of Hutz and his band is contagious.  I found myself enjoying this music I had never heard before being performed by people with whom I have almost nothing in common.   

Gogol Bordello Non-Stop is worth a look.  It is a window into a world that most of us have never seen.  And for fans of gypsy punk, it is a wild, crazy good time.

 (3.0 out of 5.0)

Film website: http://www.hoptzafilms.com/gogol.html

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