Broadway Idiot

What happens when a talented director who’s accustomed to working for PBS (Frontline, Nova) makes a film about a punk rocker’s journey from concerts and albums to the Broadway stage? Doug Hamilton’s Broadway Idiot started out as a documentary about creating a musical stage play based on Green Day’s 2010 Grammy-winning album American Idiot. However when Billie Joe Armstrong, the band’s rock star, surprised everyone by wanting to be involved in the Broadway show, the film’s focus became the story of his transition from rocker to the Great White Way. Hamilton does a great job of capturing this emotional journey. The buzz about the film has escalated since its world premiere in March at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin. In April, Broadway Idiot became the first documentary to land the sweet spot when it was shown on opening night at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The full-length film has yet to be released, but you can watch the trailer at the link below and see American Idiot May 28 – June 2 at the Civic Theatre when it is presented by Broadway/San Diego. (www.broadwayidiot.com)     ELIZABETH HANSEN