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Who Can See Forever

Play trailer Poster for Who Can See Forever Released Dec 5, 2023 1h 20m Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 3 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Who Can See Forever is the first ever in-depth look into the life and music of Iron & Wine's Sam Beam. Initially conceived as a live document, Who Can See Forever grew into a deeper study of its enigmatic subject as director Josh Sliffe spent more and more time on the road. Shot over the course of three years and using the traditional concert film as his jumping-off point, Sliffe digs into the myth and ethos of Iron & Wine through a series of interviews and unguarded behind-the-scenes footage that welcome the viewer into the center of Beam's universe. The film broke ground during a particularly creative period wherein Iron & Wine released back-to-back Grammy nominated records and were in the midst of a three-year touring cycle. The concert film is drawn from a two night-stand at the historic Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, North Carolina and features bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Fiona Apple, Soul Coughing), drummer Elizabeth Goodfellow (Allison Russell, Better Oblivion Community Center), cellist Teddy Rankin-Parker and keyboardist Eliza Hardy-Jones (War on Drugs, Grace Potter). The shows were performed in-the-round for a once in a lifetime experience and the live performances pull from the entirety of Iron & Wine's 20-plus year career. Who Can See Forever manages to serve as part concert film, part music documentary and part meditative examination as it captures one of independent music's most prolific singer-songwriters.

Critics Reviews

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Lois Alter Mark AWFJ.org Who Can See Forever, the new film about Iron & Wine, is inherently a niche film because the band itself is so indie that their fans are likely to be the only ones interested in it. Mar 3, 2024 Full Review Noah Gittell Washington City Paper Good for him. Bad for us, though, as there’s really not a film here amid all his soft musings. Or maybe there is, and these guys just didn’t want to find it. Feb 3, 2024 Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills Largely a concert film, albeit in chamber-type surrounds deployed for the camera rather than a real live audience, this is a pleasant 80-minute feature that affords no more insight than Beam is willing to verbalize—which isn’t much. Jan 22, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Mayhew S Not an interesting documentary subject. Concert bits were alright, if a bit stagnant. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 03/02/24 Full Review Jason W Best film ever created? So many layers of subtle humor, raw humanity, and artistic brilliance. This will be a template for probably half of the music documentaries made in the next 5 years. As an iron and wine fan it vividly colored an image I already had, but I imagine if this was one's introduction to iron and wine it would feel like a vaguely remembered favorite dream. I expected more dark emotion and existentialism, but it centered more on hope and the present. Wow I just read the other four reviews. Incredible. I cannot believe the immaculate job the filmmakers did was lost on them. The crowd at the concert is basically the fourth wall, but in front of the camera it's also a direct indicator to how people in the theater (who haven't listened to the song 30 times to understand what it really is saying) could be reacting in socially acceptable way in each moment (which is I've if many underlying themes the film eloquently brings just into view). I'm guessing none of them are the people these songs will ever touch and it actually makes sense that the movie wouldn't touch them as well which is why the film is so amazing in my opinion. No disrespect to them, but I think a good critic is wise enough to know when a film wasn't made for them and they should just leave it alone. That said, isn't that exactly what makes a cult classic? The wild part is I bet those same critics will give 5 stars if it does. Shrug Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/16/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Who Can See Forever

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Movie Info

Synopsis Who Can See Forever is the first ever in-depth look into the life and music of Iron & Wine's Sam Beam. Initially conceived as a live document, Who Can See Forever grew into a deeper study of its enigmatic subject as director Josh Sliffe spent more and more time on the road. Shot over the course of three years and using the traditional concert film as his jumping-off point, Sliffe digs into the myth and ethos of Iron & Wine through a series of interviews and unguarded behind-the-scenes footage that welcome the viewer into the center of Beam's universe. The film broke ground during a particularly creative period wherein Iron & Wine released back-to-back Grammy nominated records and were in the midst of a three-year touring cycle. The concert film is drawn from a two night-stand at the historic Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, North Carolina and features bassist Sebastian Steinberg (Fiona Apple, Soul Coughing), drummer Elizabeth Goodfellow (Allison Russell, Better Oblivion Community Center), cellist Teddy Rankin-Parker and keyboardist Eliza Hardy-Jones (War on Drugs, Grace Potter). The shows were performed in-the-round for a once in a lifetime experience and the live performances pull from the entirety of Iron & Wine's 20-plus year career. Who Can See Forever manages to serve as part concert film, part music documentary and part meditative examination as it captures one of independent music's most prolific singer-songwriters.
Director
Josh Sliffe
Producer
Austin Simmons, Josh Sliffe
Distributor
Abramorama
Genre
Documentary, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 5, 2023, Limited
Runtime
1h 20m