In his debut feature, Philipp Jedicke chronicles the career of Jason Beck, aka Chilly Gonzales, from his underground rap and performance art, all the way to his solo piano albums. Jedicke combines archive footage, live segments and a wealth of interviewees to sketch an engrossing and humorous portrait of the restlessly inventive musician. Most impressively, it’s a music doc that avoids being an ego-stroking puff piece, by considering the difference between entertainment and art, and by depicting Beck’s struggle to find his voice(s) as an artist. It also serves as a love letter to Berlin, where the Chilly Gonzales alter-ego was born. And yet, Beck never fully lets his guard down, and offers little insight into the man behind the performer. Like its protagonist, Shut Up and Play the Piano is layered and effervescent, but also somewhat frustratingly slippery.
Shut Up and Play the Piano | Directed by Philipp Jedicke (Germany, France, UK 2018) Documentary. Starts September 20
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