Like most, Paul McCartney was moved by the tragic events of September 11, 2011. The musician was sitting on a plane, preparing to take off from JFK Airport when the captain came on and announced that planes had struck the World Trade Center. In the aftermath, McCartney felt compelled to do something, anything to help in the healing. A band was put together, a concert was planned, a song (“Freedom”) was written, bands like the Who, Mick Jagger, David Bowie and Bon Jovi jumped on the bill, and the Concert For New York City went on to become a raging success. Ten years later, The Love We Make tells the whole story from the former Beatle’s point of view.
Directed by Albert Maysles (the same Albert Maysles who followed the Beatles around during their 1964 U.S Tour and made Gimme Shelter) and Bradley Kaplan, the mostly grainy black and white film spends much of its time detailing McCartney’s every move leading up to the concert. While not a sequel in any way to the 1984’s Give My Regards to Broad Street in which a day in the life of Paul McCartney is spiced up with intrigue, good guys, bad guys and dream sequences, The Love We Make finds one of the most famous faces on the planet walking the streets, greeting strangers and admirers with all the charm of a beloved politician. Even the city’s most colorful characters can’t disarm the singer’s cheeky graciousness, a quality he’s worked since landing on these shores nearly 50 year ago.
There are interviews with Dan Rather, Pat O’Brien and Howard Stern; an encounter with Ozzy Osbourne; and just before the concert, we glimpse backstage visits with McCartney and a number of illustrious types like Steve Buscemi, Eric Clapton, President Bill Clinton, Sheryl Crow, Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Jim Carrey, and the singer’s daughter Stella. There are also bits and pieces of rehearsals and performances from the October 20, 2011 concert, including McCartney doing “I’m Down,” “Yesterday,” “Let It Be” and “Freedom.” Post-show photo ops with firemen and you’re left knowing how the power of music often serves as the best medicine in any sort of crisis. Available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, The Love We Make does indeed direct its spotlight on Paul McCartney’s humanitarian spirit, but it does so with a proper mix of humility, artistry and reverence.
~ Shawn Perry
