X
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Showtime Documentary Films
  • 2 h 15 m
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Showtime Documentary Films
  • 2 h 15 m

Summary From an early age, Eric Clapton was captivated by the blues. As he says of his lifelong fascination: “It was always one man with his guitar versus the world. He was completely alone and had no options other than to just sing and play to ease his pain.” In this unflinching and deeply personal documentary, director Lili Fini Zanuck (Oscar ...

Directed By: Lili Fini Zanuck

Written By: Stephen 'Scooter' Weintraub, Larry Yelen

  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Showtime Documentary Films
  • 2 h 15 m
  • 2017
  • TV-MA
  • Showtime Documentary Films
  • 2 h 15 m

Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars

Metascore Generally Favorable Based on 6 Critic Reviews
62
User Score Generally Favorable Based on 8 User Ratings
6.6
My Score
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Where to Watch

Summary From an early age, Eric Clapton was captivated by the blues. As he says of his lifelong fascination: “It was always one man with his guitar versus the world. He was completely alone and had no options other than to just sing and play to ease his pain.” In this unflinching and deeply personal documentary, director Lili Fini Zanuck (Oscar ...

Directed By: Lili Fini Zanuck

Written By: Stephen 'Scooter' Weintraub, Larry Yelen

Where to Watch

Top Cast

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Critic Reviews

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Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 6 Critic Reviews
62
33% Positive
2 Reviews
67% Mixed
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Favorable Based on 6 Critic Reviews
62
33% Positive
2 Reviews
67% Mixed
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
90
Nov 22, 2017
Unlike most rock docs, “Life in 12 Bars” isn’t a look back from a distance. It’s like living through one man’s pain.
By Noel Murray FULL REVIEW
75
Feb 9, 2018
The film does a good job conveying the excitement generated by that band as a live act, especially in San Francisco and Los Angeles. But though it produced some remarkable music, Cream’s success was short-lived.
By Godfrey Cheshire FULL REVIEW
60
Nov 29, 2017
As a musical biography, this comes up short; it plays substantially better as a story of recovery and recovered integrity.
By Glenn Kenny FULL REVIEW
60
Nov 21, 2017
As absorbing as much of this material is, the lengthy feature does not feel definitive: It commits the typical music-doc sin of devoting nearly all its time to a celebrated first professional decade, then hastily skimming past all events since.
By Dennis Harvey FULL REVIEW
50
Nov 21, 2017
The film's title promises a story told with the tidy structure of the blues. (Either that, or it's a bad joke about Clapton's long struggle with alcoholism.) But Life proves weirdly assembled, with counterintuitive emphases.
By John DeFore FULL REVIEW
40
Jan 19, 2018
Clapton has led a fascinating life, and is a contradictory and inspiring figure. Save for a few moments, this film just doesn’t serve him well enough.
FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

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User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 8 User Ratings
6.6
50% Positive
4 Ratings
50% Mixed
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Generally Favorable Based on 8 User Ratings
6.6
50% Positive
4 Ratings
50% Mixed
4 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

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Production Company Passion Pictures, The Zanuck Company
Release Date Nov 24, 2017
Duration 2 h 15 m
Rating TV-MA
Genres
Tagline Genius Amplified
Website http://ericclaptonmovie.jp/
View All Details

Awards

National Board of Review, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Camden International Film Festival
• 1 Nomination
Cinema Audio Society, USA
• 1 Nomination

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