Film Review

By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Bird by Bird with Annie: A Portrait of Anne Lamott
Directed by Frieda Lee Mock
Docuramafilms 03/09 DVD/VHS Documentary
Not Rated

Anne Lamott is one of the most popular spiritual writers in America. But she had her first encounter with success as the author of a bestseller on writing, Bird by Bird. Frieda Lee Mock, who won an Academy Award for Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision, directs this rambling, entertaining, and soulful documentary.

The filmmaker and her crew join Lamott for a year as this always humorous writer gives readings, does interviews, signs books, and shares her creative process with aspiring writers who hang eagerly on every word she says. Lamott is a great believer in the daily discipline of writing and the patience and will power it takes to stay at your desk despite all the alluring distractions. She passes on some of the tricks of the trade that have helped her overcome all obstacles.

In the documentary, Lamott also talks about why she wears her hair in dread locks, her childhood as an outsider, her descent into drug addiction and alcoholism, her recovery, her decision to have a child and raise him without a father, and the challenges of being a single parent. Most interesting, of course, is Lamott's Christian faith and her stout-hearted reliance upon a local church. She attends regularly and finds meaning in worship and community.

Frieda Lee Mock has done a masterful job conveying the charisma, courage, charisma, creativity, and emotional honesty of this survivor who has triumphed against the odds by forging a strong faith and sharing with the world her truths and insights in fiction and nonfiction books.

---

Special DVD features include Anne Lamott's trademark "Lecture on Writing" and a filmmaker biography.

Films Now Showing
Recent VHS/DVD Releases

Reviews and database copyright © 1970 – 2009
by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat