Watch 20,000 Days on Earth

20,000 Days on Earth is a unique blend of documentary and drama that offers an intimate glimpse into the life of iconic musician and songwriter Nick Cave. Directed by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, the film captures a fictionalized day in Cave's life as he reflects on his past, contemplates his present, and imagines his future. The film opens with Cave waking up in his bed, looking pensively out at the ocean outside his window. From there, we follow him as he goes about his day, meeting with friends and collaborators like Warren Ellis, Blixa Bargeld, and Kylie Minogue. Along the way, we get glimpses of Cave's creative process, as he writes, rehearses, and performs music, and we see him engage in deep conversations about art, love, and mortality.

While the film is technically a work of fiction, it blurs the line between fact and fiction in interesting ways. For example, there are scenes of Cave driving around his hometown of Brighton, England, reminiscing about his childhood and visiting locations from his past. These scenes are interspersed with archival footage and old family photos, creating a composite impression of Cave's life story that feels both personal and universal.

One of the film's most memorable scenes takes place in a recording studio, where Cave is shown performing his song "Higgs Boson Blues." As the song builds to its climax, Cave seems to be overcome with emotion, his body writhing and contorting in a way that feels both cathartic and frightening. The scene is a testament to Cave's raw, visceral power as a performer, and it captures the energy and intensity of his live shows in a way that few other films have been able to do.

The film also includes a number of interviews with Cave, in which he reflects on his art, his career, and his philosophy of life. At one point, he speaks eloquently about the concept of creativity as a form of "self-annihilation," saying that "every time I start a song, I have to destroy the last one I did." These moments of introspection add depth and nuance to the film, and they help to flesh out a complex portrait of a musician who has always defied easy categorization.

At its heart, 20,000 Days on Earth is a film about the creative process, and about the ways in which artists use their work to make sense of the world around them. For Cave, this process involves grappling with big existential questions about love, death, and the meaning of life, and the film does an excellent job of capturing the profound emotional stakes of his art.

Overall, 20,000 Days on Earth is a fascinating and deeply engaging film that offers a rare insight into the mind and world of one of the most influential musicians of our time. Whether you're a longtime fan of Nick Cave or simply interested in the creative process, this film is not to be missed.

20,000 Days on Earth is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 83.