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Bill Clinton, Buddy Guy, Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards (II) ... see more see more... , Martin Scorsese , Charlie Watts , Christina Aguilera , Jack White

After exploring the careers of the Band and Bob Dylan in The Last Waltz and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, respectively, acclaimed director Martin Scorsese turns his lens on rock & roll legends the Rol... read more read more...ling Stones for this feature focusing on two concerts from the band's 2006 A Bigger Bang tour. In addition to extensive coverage of the band's two-night stand at New York's Beacon Theater (an engagement that was staged as part of President Bill Clinton's lavish birthday bash), the film also features historical footage, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from decades past. Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Richardson (JFK and The Aviator) supervised photography for the film, with an impressive array of A-list talents, including Andrew Lesnie, John Toll, Ellen Kuras, Anastas Michos, Stuart Dryburgh, Declan Quinn, Emmanuel Lubezki, Robert Elswit, and Albert Maysles, stepping in to insure that the Beacon performances were covered from every angle possible. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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74% liked it

36,607 ratings

Critics

86% liked it

123 critics

PG-13, 2 hr. 2 min.

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Release Date: February 7, 2008

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DVD Release Date: July 29, 2008

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Flixster Reviews (1,754)

  • brooklynspo
    June 8, 2008
    brooklynspo
    saw this on an IMAX screen
  • paulsandberg
    May 28, 2012
    paulsandberg
    The beauty of this musical documentary of the Rolling Stones circa 2006 is that you don't really realize the technical brilliance that goes on behind the scenes; and brilliant it is - seamless editing and whirlwind use of hundred of cameras make this Scorscese effort a joy to wa... read moretch.

    Anything else you may want to say about the film is strictly about performance, and here the Stones give a pretty darned good accounting of themselves, with Mick still Jumping Jack Flash, in perpetual motion while the band chugs along in their loose, "it's only rock and roll" garage band way. What really comes through here is the brilliance of Keith Richard's supporting guitar play. He is such an expert at nailing the backbeat, which is the soul of the Stones sound.

    I was also impressed that Charlie Watts - almost 70 I believe, was still bringing it on drums, even at the end of the over 2 hour performance - especially on Brown Sugar.

    The cameo appearances are fun, with the Jagger duet with Christine Aguilara especially ripping, though I felt that the jam with Buddy Guy lacked focus (and it was obvious that the band struggled with the odd blues progression).

    Marty interspersed the affair with some archival interview footage that was only occasionally enlightening, with the most entertaining bits concerning bandmate statements about longevity from the 60's.

    In all - I found this to be entertaining and a true insight into the power of the band - much more intimate than the concert footage from say the Steel Wheels Tour. You don't have to be a Stones fan to dig this - but having an appreciation for music will help.
  • fb1664868775
    October 28, 2011
    fb1664868775
    Grandpa's tearing shit up.
  • spielberg00
    August 8, 2011
    spielberg00
    SHINE A LIGHT is truly epic, absolutely amazing. It is one of the best musical documentaries I have ever seen, and it truly defines the Rolling Stones.
  • MrMarakai
    February 22, 2011
    MrMarakai
    Having already covered such musical talents as The Band in "The Last Waltz" and Bob Dylan in "No Direction Home", director Martin Scorsese now turns his hand to iconic rock 'n' roll band The Rolling Stones.
    The closeness that Scorsese achieves is nothing short of magnificent. H... read moree must have had cameras everywhere and manages to capture the vibrancy of this fabulous band during their "A Bigger Bang" tour, playing at the Beacon theatre in New York. He manages to get so close you can see every wrinkle, every pore and you can almost smell the whisky from Keith Richards. Having been going strong for nearly 50 years (they were formed in 1962) and each band member over 60 years old, they've still got what it takes and can still get a crowd going. Their vibrancy is second to none and you can see why they have lasted so long. Tour footage is intercut with old footage of the band in their younger days and rise to stardom. It also briefly shows how the film was put together with footage of Scorsese conducting his documentary as the legends on-stage conduct their music. You can see Scorsese has a love and a knowledge of this great band. Otherwise, we probably wouldn't hear so many of their classic songs played throughout his films. It's just a shame that the band members have aged. This would have been a much better intrusive film had it been The Stones in their prime. However, they're still an exceptional outfit, Mick Jagger's energy still impresses and they remain my favourite.
    For Stones aficiondos only. If you count yourself as one, then you'll love it.
  • MeetMeinMontauk
    October 22, 2010
    MeetMeinMontauk
    I'll be honest, I didn't exactly watch this beginning to end. Only because I'm not such a fan of the Stones later stuff. However, I got what Scorsese was going with it and after seeing lots of concert DVDs, I can tell it was extremely well filmed. Beautiful and crisp, cleanly fil... read moremed even if the Stones themselves are a bit rough to look at. But judging by Mick Jagger's dancing he's not a day over 20.
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    August 5, 2008
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    As a Stones fan, SHINE A LIGHT was an exceptionally concert documentary. It's not as great as the genres best (GIMME SHELTER and Scorsese's own THE LAST WALTZ) but it showcases one of the greatest bands of all time with great stylistic flair and inventive camerawork.

    *Skip it... read more if your not a fan of the Rolling Stone. It's just not meant for you.
  • cosmo313
    May 27, 2008
    cosmo313
    For several years I have been a huge fan of both the band and Scorsese, and eever since I got into Scorsese (which happened after I got into The Stones), I was longing for a collaboration between the two that involved more than Marty using thier music as a backdrop to his films. ... read moreWhen I first heard about this film, I basically creamed myself (for lack of a better phrase). Finally. A true collaboration. However, before I continue the review, a brief departure. I was fortunate enough to get to see the Rolling Stoens perform in St. Louis in 2006. It was an incredible experience, and one that I'll probably never get to replicate ever again. Ok, here's why I told you that. As awesome as it was for the Stoens and Scorsese to finally collaborate in a proper way, it was unsatisfying for me. Granted, this film is really, really good, but it could have been great. Seeign this flm just can't compare with seeing the band in person, even if they are in their 60's. First, a few more gripes (minor as they are, they are still enough to prevent a 5-star rating). I wanna say that I'm ok with the fact that it's PG-13, but I'm not, especially because of the fact that in order to get a PG-13 (for whatever reason) censorship was needed. Why the hell was the 'black girls' line completely ommitted from "Some Girls", and why was it deemed necessary to remove the line about the Kennedys from "Sympathy for the Devil"? To be fair, they do allow a couple of f-bombs to slip by, but only a couple (two are bleeped-one is from archive footage). Originally the film was rated R for language, and they should have just left it like that. Editing it to get a PG-13, thus allowing for a more commercially friendly film is stupid. Especially when it involves the Rolling Stones. These guys are legends. No matter what it's rated, it's gonna be commercially succesful, even if it's Rated R. Another gripe: the performances of their bigger and more well-known hits are a let-down, especially "Sympathy for the Devil" (and not because of the censorship, either). The best performances are the not as well known songs like "Far Away Eyes", "You got the Silver", and the spectacular, show stoppng cover of Muddy Waters' "Champagne and Reefer", done with a little help from blues legend Buddy Guy. Of the bigger hits though, "Brown Sugar", and "Start Me Up" (even though that songs annoys me a lot) are great. "Jumping Jack Flash" is decent, but I've heard better versions. Ok, time for the positives. The aformentioned Buddy Guy guest appearance is definitely at the top. Christina Aguilera (surprisingly) holds her own and also almost manages to steal the show. Jack White's guest appearance is good, but he seems a bit too star struck. The use of well-chosen and equally well-placed archive footage throughout is superb. The archive footage manages to flow with the concert, and works with it, not against it. The opening segment involving the planning and backstage preparation for the show might bore people who are solely Stones fans, and not also hardcore film fans, but I loved it. It was cool getting to see the hard work that goes into a product like this, and it's funny as hell, too. I haven't yet seen "The Last Waltz" *gasp*! I know, I know, it's shocking. However, even though I haven't seen it, I know that it's superior based on what I've read and heard. In watching Shine a Light though, I can tell that Marty wasn't trying to top his earlier work. No, with this, he was just trying to have fun, and showcase that, even though The Rolling Stones should have reitred years ago, they can still rock really hard, despite their ages. Both he and the band succeed, and despite the films problems, it's still really good, as is the set (even though they've had better sets in the past), and that is why I gave it at least a 4 star rating, despite the gripes I have with it. My bias for both Marty and the band is while I inflated it. Overall ,the film doesn't disappoint. I was slightly let down, but that was just for personal reasons. Don't let things like that keep you from enjoying this glorious celebration of great music and great filmmaking.
  • michaelneumann
    January 11, 2009
    michaelneumann
    Cursed spinniness of the white orbs, never ending countcountcountcountcount of moments. Moments of moments. Moments of micro-moments. The fantastically perilous progression moving at the speed of today, tomorrow, Tuesday. For the love of Tuesday. Measured thoughts, another b... read moreowl of soup. Flying, whizzing, lonely trap captured, enraptured, fractured locations from each other, like a peeling desert, wrinkles in the earth, in our faces. Faces in the earth. A ruler that stretches to your personal omega, absorbed in gait of blind conscious fervor to an inky depth in the shape of a man. Spinniness. Spinniness. Crush me in your hand and rolling pin me into your devised infinity. Eddies of memory, quicksilvering children's drawings, a waxpaper spectacle closely cousined with sleep pictures. Bestriding each bubble, circling through, over again and another bubble reliving forever. A drink, a sedimentary portal with sediment of light, an escape from no escape. Open up, bring yourself that horizon. Apex of hope, Himalayan courage of a molehill, brittleness of a soapbox, fading music of a voice. Flotsam dreams, sinking islands. Whirlpool fate. For the love of spinniness. Spinniness.
  • fb1075393821
    June 20, 2011
    fb1075393821
    If you're not a fan of the Stones, and most certainly if you're not much for classic rock, you'll probably not get much out of this film. However, if you enjoy both the former and the latter, "Shine A Light" offers an electrifying concert film experience. Intricately shot with lo... read morets of camera movement, the visuals more intimate than any other live-show-to-video I've ever seen. The only complaint I have is that the music guest stars are largely hit and miss, but a pleasant surprise is Christina Aguilera's duet with Mick on "Live With Me". Oh yeah - the band sounds great too.

View All Shine a Light Reviews

Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper
April 7, 2008
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

The effect was intense and overwhelming, but I mean that in a good way.

Anthony Lane
April 7, 2008
Anthony Lane, New Yorker

At times, the cutting shifts from the hasty to the impatient to the borderline epileptic, and, while never doubting Scorsese's ardor for the Stones, I got the distinct impression of a style in search ... Full Review

Elysa Gardner
April 4, 2008
Elysa Gardner, USA Today

The genius of Scorsese's film, which is being shown in IMAX in 93 theaters, is that it reveals the Stones' mortality while celebrating all that makes them more than mere mortals. Full Review

Peter Howell
April 4, 2008
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

It's showbiz, after all. And the band still rocks like none other, true to their creed that if their adored blues masters can play into their dotage, then so can they. Full Review

Joel Selvin
April 4, 2008
Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle

He brings all his skills as a filmmaker to the film, but Scorsese did not achieve the monumental dimensions of his movie from cinematic savoir faire. Shine a Light is huge because the Stones are giants. Full Review

Roger Moore
April 4, 2008
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Scorsese captures the Stones at their ancient, un-ironic best, bluesy showmen who leave it all on the stage every night, never for a moment letting on that they're playing, for the 10,000th time, 40-y... Full Review

Stephen Whitty
April 4, 2008
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

Amazingly, Jagger turns 65 in July. And although his face is carved with lines, his stage act hasn't changed much since the band played Madison Square Garden nearly 40 years ago. Full Review

Kyle Smith
April 4, 2008
Kyle Smith, New York Post

The movie easily beats paying $250 to experience the Bones in person; you can see everything without having to stand up, and the sound at a multiplex is far better than any arena. Full Review

Joe Neumaier
April 4, 2008
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

Regardless of age, they can still rip this joint. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
April 4, 2008
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

The music's insistent richness builds and builds, its sound becoming so deep and persuasive that qualms about age fade and the rhythms carry us away. Full Review

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