B+

You needn’t be a fan of Wilco–or even be aware of the Chicago rock band’s existence–to enjoy Sam Jones’ revealing documentary about the last year or so of its professional life. “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” is fairly conventional from a technical standpoint–it has plenty of candid shots of the group at work in their loft and on tour, as well as straight-on interviews with the musicians and talking-head inserts from critics and commentators. But because the narrative arc becomes so compelling–involving an impasse the band has with their record label over the release of their new album and the ejection of one of the members from the group–the familiarity of approach actually works in the picture’s favor. What might have been little more than a mild tribute had not the unexpected happened is instead a sly dissection of the inanities of the contemporary music business and a rather sad story of the difficulties of artistic collaboration.

Jones’ picture begins as the band–singer-songwriter Jeff Tweedy, keyboardist Jay Bennett, bassist John Stirratt, drummer Glenn Kotche and all-purpose player Leroy Bach–are finishing up their latest CD, “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” which their label, Reprise, is giving them a free hand to make in their Chicago loft. At this stage the group seems relatively happy with the label and, despite occasional suggestions of tension as they argue over mixing and re-recording, with each other. After the disc is finished, though, the new Reprise executives balk at releasing it without changes, and a stalemate results, which results in fans and journalists castigating the label for stifling the band’s artistic expression. Eventually Reprise cuts Wilco loose with their disc, and the group mulls over offers from other companies as they perform live (both together and individually in Tweedy’s case). Eventually they sign with Nonesuch (ironically a label which, like Reprise, is owned by AOL Time Warner) and the CD is released untouched to accolades. By then, however, the band’s gotten smaller–Tweedy’s longtime partner Bennett is dumped, not without some bitterness on his part and relief among the remaining players.

If all this were part of a fiction film, it might seem a bit much to swallow. In the present instance, though, it comes across as not only credible but in some weird sense inevitable. And it makes for a fascinating, insightful, frequently funny and sometimes poignant film. The emphasis throughout is on Tweedy and Bennett, easily the dominant members of the group, and they’re both intriguing guys. The former is the sparkplug of the operation, a rather quiet poetic type with some physical problems (migraines, most likely from nerves) and family responsibilities (there’s an affecting scene of him traveling with his wife and kids). The bearlike Bennett, on the other hand–who looks like a young, if rather dissolute, version of Stan Freberg–emerges as a rather tragic figure, haplessly trying to claim a share in the leadership of the band. The scenes in which he muses about his ejection and is reduced to playing alone before tiny crowds are surprisingly touching. Meanwhile, the larger story of the band-against-the-conglomerate is instructive and witty.

Visually “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” sometimes strives too hard to look artistic, but mostly the work of no fewer than eleven cameramen, six assistants and fifteen sound men is first-rate.

Oh, yes–Wilco’s music is good, too. After all, the group is Chicago-based and doesn’t play rap–an excellent combination.