Directed by Julia Parnell Reviewed by Paul Sorrell

Twenty-one line-ups, 31 members and a single songwriter. Martin Phillipps was the heart of The Chills during a long and tumultous career, and still presides over the latest incarnation of the band in 2019. Perhaps the leading group to come out of the Dunedin Sound of the 1980s and ’90s, The Chills swayed on the cusp of international musical fame before beginning a slow disintegration following their landmark album Submarine Bells in 1990.

But this is no conventional rockumentary, skating over its subject’s inevitably turbulent history and punctuated by soundbites from talking heads and numerous clips of gigs and recording sessions. Rather, director Julia Parnell’s focus is firmly on Phillipps the man — a gifted songwriter, but also a flawed individual who has come to recognise his failings and is willing to reassess his life and career in the light of the past.

At root, this is a confessional film and Phillipps bravely exposes himself to the audience — warts and all. We see him pottering around his Dunedin villa, sifting through his vast collection of books, posters, CDs, plastic toys — and even eggshells with faces painted on them! Only a step away from being a hoarder, he also maintains a comprehensive collection of press clippings and other Chills memorabilia that he draws on during the documentary.

Of stocky build, with puffy face and needle-scarred hands, today Phillipps is a far cry from the indie pop prince of the 1980s. His recent medical history provides the narrative scaffolding for the film. We see him as an outpatient at Dunedin Hospital as he is told that he has only months to live unless he stops drinking. He also suffers from hepatitis C, and we follow his progress as he undertakes expensive new treatment.

While drink and drugs are traditional distractions for rock groups, the film makes it plain that Phillipps’s major personal deficiency lay in poor communication. Pushing band members through punishing touring and recording schedules in Europe and the US, Phillipps time and again failed to attend to their individual needs, resulting in the group’s extraordinarily high turnover.

The film ends on a note of hope. We see Phillipps practising with his new line-up, belting out his latest offerings with a new confidence and verve. Now increasingly self-aware —  both of his health needs and relationship deficits — he issues an open apology to those he has hurt or offended in the past and looks forward to a personal and musical renaissance. 

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 238 June 2019: 29