Review: 'Chuck Berry' gives a full view of the life of the man who 'invented' rock 'n' roll

It’s hard to disagree with the claim that Chuck Berry was “the king of rock ’n’ roll” — if not the inventor, as the documentary titled simply “Chuck Berry” argues strongly, through the voices of friends and family who knew him best.

The documentary begins at one of Berry’s low points, in his teen years when he was sent to a reformatory on an armed-robbery charge, and one of his highest, when he met Themetta Suggs — whom he married in 1948, and stayed married to until his death in 2017.

Berry began his musical career in his home town of St. Louis, playing R&B in a trio and perfecting his signature guitar licks. On a trip to Chicago, he met the blues legend Muddy Waters, who told Berry to get in touch with Leonard Chess, co-founder of the influential Chess Records label. Berry took a country song, “Ida Red,” and adapted it with R&B grooves and Berry’s own lyrics; the song, “Maybelline,” became Berry’s first hit record.

The radio dial, some of Berry’s friends and admirers say here, was the one aspect of American culture that wasn’t segregated — because anybody could pick up mainstream (read “white”) stations and stations that played Black music in any major city. Some mainstream programmers couldn’t tell, by ear, that Berry was Black, and the kids didn’t care. They heard a guy singing about cars and girls and high school, and playing music they could dance to.

Director Jon Brewer — who has directed documentaries about B.B. King, Guns ’n’ Roses and other acts — collects a wide array of Berry’s peers and admirers, such as Johnny Rivers, George Thorogood, Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Gene Simmons of Kiss, Nile Rodgers, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr. (who was introduced to Berry by, of all things, “Back to the Future”). He also gets Themetta and Berry’s children and grandchildren to reminisce about Berry’s softer side. As for Berry’s run-ins with the law, Brewer talks to Berry’s lawyers.

Even though Brewer largely tells Berry’s story chronologically, there are some odd jumps and juxtapositions — along with some unfortunate stylistoc choices, like some re-creations that are more flash than substance. When the documentary is working well, it’s because Brewer focuses on the music, and how Berry kept playing through all of his life’s ups and downs, reminding the world who put the swagger in rock ’n’ roll.  

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‘Chuck Berry’

★★★

Available starting Friday, September 18, on the Salt Lake Film Society’s virtual cinema, SLFS@Home. Not rated, but probably PG-13 for some language, and thematic material. Running time: 103 minutes.