Don’t Forget Me review – Eddie Cochran bio-doc boasts top-notch roster of talking heads

The documentary "Don't Forget Me" delves into the life and untimely death of rock and roll pioneer Eddie Cochran, a subject whose significant impact on music history makes a biographical film long overdue. Directed by Kirsty Bell, the film attempts to construct a comprehensive narrative, but its feature-length runtime feels stretched, leading to a structure described as "old-fashioned" and almost parodic. The documentary relies heavily on the limited archival footage available, including scant glimpses of Cochran's performance in the 1956 film "The Girl Can't Help It," and numerous rostrum-mounted newspaper clippings. To bridge the gaps in visual material and extend the running time, Bell incorporates dramatized recreations. These scenes, featuring actors portraying Cochran and his mother, are described as "endearingly tacky" but serve to illustrate personal aspects of Cochran's life, such as his reported regular phone calls to his mother while on tour. During these fictionalized conversations, Cochran expresses anxieties about an early demise, a premonition tragically realized when he died in a car accident in 1960, en route between Bristol and Heathrow. This mirrors the fate of his friend and fellow musician, Buddy Holly, who also died young in a plane crash in 1959. The film's undeniable strength lies in its impressive assembly of "talking heads" – a broad spectrum of influential figures who offer profound appreciation for Cochran's legacy. This roster includes rock and roll royalty like Keith Richards, a founding member of The Rolling Stones, and acclaimed actor Kiefer Sutherland, whose father, Donald Sutherland, was also a prominent figure in film. The inclusion of such esteemed individuals provides a rich tapestry of perspectives, underscoring Cochran's enduring influence across generations and genres. While the documentary's structural and archival limitations are apparent, the breadth of appreciation from its top-tier interviewees elevates "Don't Forget Me," making it a compelling, albeit imperfect, tribute to a foundational figure in popular music.