"Silver Jew" is a 52 minute video documentary that follows Silver Jews bandleader David Berman through Jerusalem. This is a critical stop on the band's first ever world tour in their 15 year existence. Berman is a recent convert to the Jewish faith, so this journey serves dual purposes. He's making a pilgrimage for spiritual enlightenment, and attempting to reach out and connect to the world around him.
Director Michael Tully follows with video camera in hand, providing an objective unassuming perspective. At times it feels like an intimate family vacation video, except the presence of the camera is ignored. There are about 3 songs worth of bootleg style concert video, riveting yet brief. For a band that has never toured before, they have exceptional stage presence, intimate and inviting. The intensely laconic beauty of the performances holds the viewer tightly.
This is not a story of a band on tour, though. The assembly of footage shows Berman's humanity from all different angles. We see a person searching for their inner strength. There are profound moments of realization that each viewer may interpret differently. Judging by their remarks during the Q and A session, the older Jewish members of the audience quantified it as a religious
epiphany. I wouldn't pin it down and categorize it so specifically, but I do agree with the Jerusalem tour guide that there is a strong energy present in that place.
As a music fan, I had more appreciation for the various stories Berman told. In particular, there is an anecdote about him and Pavement bandleader/Silver Jews collaborator Stephen Malkmus recording songs in their living room in the early 90s. The editing balances these with the personal and travelogue elements in an accesible, approachable way. If you are a human being of any kind, you'll be able to take something to heart from this movie.
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